Former Pirate football coach, Bill Workman, dies
COSTA MESA -- Bill Workman, former longtime head football coach at Orange Coast College and Edison High School, passed away on July 3 at the age of 82.
Workman, who helped bring success to the Pirate football program during his 13 years as head coach (1986-1998), finished his OCC career with a 63-70 overall record and he helped guide Coast to a Mission Conference title in 1990. His 63 wins remains the second-most in OCC football history behind only hall of famer Dick Tucker's total of 129.
Workman is survived by his wife, Sheri, daughters Julie and Jana and nine grandchildren.
After taking over the head coaching duties from Tucker in 1986, Workman helped bring steady success back to the Pirate football program. In fact, over a four-year stretch from 1990-93, Workman helped guide the Pirates to a 29-14 record, a Mission Conference championship and two postseason bowl appearances, including a 26-14 win over Antelope Valley in the 1993 Orange County Bowl.
Prior to his time at OCC, Workman was a longtime head coach at Edison High School for 13 seasons, going 109-33-5 from 1973-85. In addition to the wins, Workman won seven Sunset League titles and he helped guide the Chargers to CIF-SS Big-Five Conference championships in 1979 and again in 1980 as well as a Big-Five co-championship in his final season (1985) before taking over the reins at OCC.
Following his 13-year run at OCC, Workman resigned and was succeeded by Mike Taylor, who guided the Pirates for the next 15 seasons before retiring in 2013.
"I had the opportunity to work with Bill at Edison from 1977-79," Taylor said of Workman. "All three teams went to the CIF Playoffs, and the 1979 team won the Big 5 Championship 55-0 at Anaheim Stadium. When he was hired to replace Dick Tucker in 1986, I rejoined him as a defensive assistant. My coaching relationship went from 1986 to his retirement in 1998. The total of 16 years were spent watching, listening, and learning from one of best in the business. Of all the coaches that touched his life, my tenure with Bill was the longest. I always tried to treat my players with a coaches love and respect. I learned that watching the Workman Way! You'll be missed. My heartfelt condolences go to Sheri, Jana, Julie and the extended Workman family."
A memorial service for Workman will take place on Friday, Aug. 11 at 1:30 p.m. at St. Andrews Presbyterian Church in Newport Beach (600 St. Andrews Road), which is located across the street from Newport Harbor High School.
