Northside's Billy Pope Announces Retirement

ROANOKE – Northside High School is sad to announce that Bill Pope, Vikings boys basketball coach, has announced his retirement. 

Pope, who has been coaching for 46 years, was the Head Basketball coach for Northside High School for 40 years.

Under his direction, the Vikings boys’ basketball team has amassed an amazing 680 wins – the fourth highest total wins by a coach at a single school and the sixth highest overall win total by a coach in VHSL history.

Bill Pope coached the Vikings to 17 district titles, eight regional crowns and three VHSL Class 3 State Championships (2019, 2023, 2024).  The Northside main gym was renamed the Bill Pope Gym in 2019 in recognition of his accomplishments.

“Bill Pope has been the coach of the Vikings for as long as anyone can remember.  This truly is the end of an incredible era for Northside basketball,” said Jill Green, Principal of Northside High School. 

“His legacy will endure long after he steps away from the basketball court.  Coach Pope will forever be remembered as one greatest basketball coaches in VHSL history,” Green said.

More to come on this developing story