An educator and softball player for over 50 years, volunteer assistant coach Bill Dickson brings a wealth of knowledge, experience and enthusiasm for teaching the game of softball to collegiate players. Working primarily with ISU's corner infielders, one of Dickson's pupils, third baseman Kara Nelson, earned All-America status in 2007 in just her first season in the Redbird softball program and was again honored with All-America accolades in 2010.

Dickson started his softball career when he was an undergraduate student at Illinois State. He played for the State Farm Chiefs from 1953-54.

After receiving his master's degree from ISU in 1957, Dickson started a career in education that lasted until 1997.

A member of the Amateur Softball Association of America (ASA) Hall of Fame, Dickson was a teacher for eight years and superintendent of schools for 30. After moving back to the Bloomington-Normal area in the late 1990s, he sought out Melinda Fischer and Illinois State softball, and gave his assistance to the program.

Dickson's recent coaching accolades include two of his pupils, Amber Smith and Nelson, who earned Missouri Valley Conference First-Team honors in 2007. Nelson went on to become the first freshman in Valley history to be named the conference's player of the year.