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The following release was issued by the Atlanta Vipers club organization and written by Selena Patterson. Information and photos courtesy the Atlanta Vipers and Selena Patterson…
The Atlanta Vipers Fastpitch organization, as it celebrates its 27th anniversary, stands as a testament to a long and prideful history rooted in an unwavering commitment to placing athletes first. Established in 1997 by visionaries Bill Sheppard and Ernie Yarbrough, the Vipers have evolved from a local fastpitch softball team into a revered institution in youth sports, renowned for its player-focused approach.
Sheppard, who passed away in 2015, started out coaching his daughter, Brittany. The Rockdale Rockies was his fledgling team that started to see success early. Brittany Yearwood, Sheppard’s daughter remembers the early days.
“We were new to the scene, but eventually we started beating everyone.”
That summer, going into Yearwood’s first high school year, Sheppard started The Atlanta Vipers. Sheppard recognized the need to start an elite organization that was focused on the girls.
Yarbrough, a Southern California native, brought his extensive experience in men’s fastpitch to Georgia.
“When I moved to Georgia in 1988, youth sports was slow pitch only and not fastpitch. I was playing on a men’s team out of Florida. Then one day, a random parent asked me to instruct his daughter on pitching and fielding and that parent was Bill Sheppard.”
As Yarbrough continued to teach lessons, he started to help Sheppard coach. The coaching connection was aided by a shared vision.
“It was never the objective to create a big conglomerate empire, but to be small, selective, elite and to develop the girls.”
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