Bio

In the 1999-2000 school year, Bill LaFond took over the two year old Lady Buccaneer Softball program. Over the next five years, LaFond and the Lady Bucs put together the most impressive run in program history. They won four straight district championships and made it to the NJCAA Division III World Series for four consecutive seasons, finishing in 5th place once, 4th place twice and in 3rd place in 2001. The 3rd place finish is still the highest finish of any DCC ball team in the athletic department’s history. They won 109 games in that span out of the 207 they played for a 52% winning percentage. Many of those games were against four-year schools and higher level NJCAA teams (DI and DII). In his career, his teams went 47-16 (75%) against NJCAA DIII teams. Lafond has the 2nd most wins in program history.   

Bill LaFond was named the Louisville Slugger / NFCA - Western United States 2001 NJCAA Coach of the Year, and the entire DCC softball coaching staff was recognized as the 2001 NJCAA Coaching Staff of the Year. LaFond coached 13 NJCAA All-Americans during his time at Dawson. 

LaFond was also instrumental in the acquisition, construction, and completion of both the DCC Baseball and Softball field facilities. In 2001, LaFond proposed a plan to the DCC Board of Trustees to build new baseball and softball fields on the DCC campus. LaFond also helped to secure land donations from multiple landowners as well as the financial help of local businesses, individuals, and government grants. LaFond, assistant coach Dan Harrison, and local contractor Greg Nichols donated well over 1,000 hours of their personal time to complete this endeavor in the fall of 2003. 

LaFond is celebrating 55 years of marriage to his high school sweetheart Kathy and has 3 adult children, 11 grandchildren and 3 great-grand-children.