Hall of Fame
Harold Phillips was one of the most highly motivated, self-disciplined and well-conditioned players I have ever coached. He consistently led the defense on teams that won 30 games, lost 7, and tied two in his four years at Coe. Harold started fast and improved consistently year after year. As a freshman, he made All-Conference Honorable Mention. In his upper-class years he was All-Conference each year. As a sophomore, he was named the Outstanding Defensive Player for Coe. As a junior, he was named co-MVP with quarterback Glenn Carlson. As a senior, he was named Coe's Most Valuable Player. As a sophomore, he was named to the Pizza Hut All-American third team. As a junior, he made Pizza Hut's second team. As a senior, he made their All- American first team, a noteworthy national recognition. Harold Phillips drove to tackle the ball carrier on every play. As a senior, he had 133 tackles, with 18 coming in a single game. He set a record for interceptions with nine in a single year. Harold still holds the record for the most return yards with pass interceptions in a single season with 261 yards in 1986. He padded that total with one runback of 97 yards. Also in 1986 he set the record for the most punts with 65. Coe was lucky to inherit Harold Phillips from the University of Indiana. He played freshman ball at Indiana and then was overlooked during a coaching change. To improve both his academic and his football prospects he came to Coe. He and the College both benefited. Harold played his high school football at Maine Township in Wilmette, IL. Since leaving Coe he has played rugby football in Philadelphia and Akron where he worked in the tire business. He currently is in France in strategic multi-brand tire sales, a job that has taken him to 17 countries in just the last few months. In his senior year, Harold Phillips received an All-American Athlete Award from the National Strength and Conditioning Association, a glowing tribute to the hours he spent in the weight room in conditioning and strength workouts. This award paid tribute to the very things I said at the beginning, high motivation, self-discipline, and dedication to conditioning. These were Harold Phillips' most outstanding character traits and they are why I enthusiastically present him for induction into the Kohawk Athletic Hall of Fame.
