Billy Phillips
Encyclopedia
Billy Phillips is a former U.S. soccer goalkeeper
who played three seasons in the North American Soccer League
, six in the Major Indoor Soccer League and later coached the Dallas Sidekicks
for two seasons.
where he was a two-sport athlete, both running track and playing soccer. He earned a bachelor's degree
in Physical Education in 1978. He still holds the school track record in the 1500 meter (3:46.1), the mile (4:02) and the two-mile relay. He earned All-American honors in 1978 when he finished third in the NCAA Championships for the 1500 meters. He also played goalkeeper for the soccer team and was ranked in the top five for career shutouts and goals against average. Phillips was inducted into Adelphi University Athletics Hall of Fame for soccer and track on April 19, 2007.
from 1980 to 1981, the Wichita Wings
, San Jose Earthquakes, and St. Louis Steamers
. In April 1983, Phillips joined the Dallas Americans
of the American Soccer League
. On November 23, 1984, Phillips signed as a free agent to the Dallas Sidekicks
for a 10 day contract. He later signed a full time contract with them on December 3, 1984. By doing this, he became the only player to wear the uniform of every professional soccer team that had represented Dallas up to 1984.
For the Dallas Sidekicks, Phillips earned their first regular season win as goalkeeper on December 8, 1984 against the New York Cosmos
. He was also the first MISL
player of the week from the Dallas Sidekicks (December 17, 1984). While his #0 Dallas Sidekicks jersey has not been officially retired, no other goalkeeper in Sidekicks history wore that number.
Throughout his three seasons as goalkeeper with the Dallas Sidekicks, he played 26 games and clocked 1,495:28 regular season minuets and 75:40 playoff minuets in 2 games. The Dallas Sidekicks won the 1986-1987 MISL Championship.
While a player, Phillips also joined the front office staff in 1986 as Director of Community Relations and Soccer Camps. Since then, he has gone on to coach and manage a numerous amount of soccer camps. Some soccer camps to note are the Dallas Sidekicks day camps, the Dallas Sidekicks 4 v 4's which he started, and Tatu
's All Star Soccer residential camp, which just finished its 16th year in 2007.
.
Pillips currently resides in Plano, Texas
. He was involved with the Dallas Sidekicks in the front office until they folded in 2004. He now works full time in a Senior Director of Corporate Sponsorships position for the Dallas Mavericks
basketball team.
In his spare time, he has coached many youth select soccer teams including the Women's 87' Sting Soccer team. They had four Regional runs and six National runs.
(SMU) where she plays for the Division I soccer team and was recently named captain. She is majoring in Psychology
and Early Education
.
Goalkeeper (football)
In association football, the goalkeeper occupies a position that represents the last line of defence between the opponent's offence and his own team's goal. The primary role of the goalkeeper is to defend his team's goal and prevent the opposition from scoring a goal...
who played three seasons in the North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League was a professional soccer league with teams in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984.-History:...
, six in the Major Indoor Soccer League and later coached the Dallas Sidekicks
Dallas Sidekicks
The Dallas Sidekicks were one of the longest operating professional soccer teams, either indoor or outdoor, in the United States, based in Dallas, Texas, and operating from 1984 until suspending operations following the 2004 season. The team was founded as a member of the original Major Indoor...
for two seasons.
College
Phillips was the youngest of five children.. He attended Nassau County Community College where he was named a soccer All-American. He then transferred to Adelphi UniversityAdelphi University
Adelphi University is a private, nonsectarian university located in Garden City, in Nassau County, New York, United States. It is the oldest institution of higher education on Long Island. For the sixth year, Adelphi University has been named a “Best Buy” in higher education by the Fiske Guide to...
where he was a two-sport athlete, both running track and playing soccer. He earned a bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in Physical Education in 1978. He still holds the school track record in the 1500 meter (3:46.1), the mile (4:02) and the two-mile relay. He earned All-American honors in 1978 when he finished third in the NCAA Championships for the 1500 meters. He also played goalkeeper for the soccer team and was ranked in the top five for career shutouts and goals against average. Phillips was inducted into Adelphi University Athletics Hall of Fame for soccer and track on April 19, 2007.
Professional soccer
After college, Phillips went on to play professional soccer as goalkeeper. He played for the Dallas TornadoDallas Tornado
Dallas Tornado were a soccer team based in Dallas that played in the NASL. They played from 1967 to 1981. Their home fields were Cotton Bowl , P.C. Cobb Stadium , Franklin Field , Texas Stadium and Ownby Stadium on the SMU campus...
from 1980 to 1981, the Wichita Wings
Wichita Wings
This article is about the original team. For the current team, see Wichita Wings .The Wichita Wings were a professional indoor soccer franchise based in Wichita, Kansas. The Wings were admitted to the Major Indoor Soccer League as an expansion team on August 21, 1979...
, San Jose Earthquakes, and St. Louis Steamers
St. Louis Steamers (1979–1988)
The original St. Louis Steamers played in the original Major Indoor Soccer League from 1979 through 1988. Their home fixtures were held at the St. Louis Arena.-Ownership:* Ben Kerner & Partnership * Thomas M...
. In April 1983, Phillips joined the Dallas Americans
Dallas Americans
Dallas Americans was an American soccer club based in Dallas, Texas that was a member of the American Soccer League. It is also the name of a Indoor American Football team.After the ASL folded, the club joined the newly formed United Soccer League....
of the American Soccer League
American Soccer League
The American Soccer League has been a name used by three different professional soccer leagues in the United States. The first American Soccer League was established in 1921 by the merger of teams from the National Association Football League and the Southern New England Soccer League. For...
. On November 23, 1984, Phillips signed as a free agent to the Dallas Sidekicks
Dallas Sidekicks
The Dallas Sidekicks were one of the longest operating professional soccer teams, either indoor or outdoor, in the United States, based in Dallas, Texas, and operating from 1984 until suspending operations following the 2004 season. The team was founded as a member of the original Major Indoor...
for a 10 day contract. He later signed a full time contract with them on December 3, 1984. By doing this, he became the only player to wear the uniform of every professional soccer team that had represented Dallas up to 1984.
For the Dallas Sidekicks, Phillips earned their first regular season win as goalkeeper on December 8, 1984 against the New York Cosmos
New York Cosmos
The New York Cosmos were an American soccer club based in New York City, New York and its suburbs. The team played home games in three stadiums around New York before moving in 1977 to Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey, where it remained for the rest of its history...
. He was also the first MISL
Major Soccer League
The Major Indoor Soccer League, known in its final two seasons as the Major Soccer League, was an indoor soccer league in the USA from 1978 to 1992. After the folding of the North American Soccer League in 1984, the MISL was the Division I soccer league for the United States...
player of the week from the Dallas Sidekicks (December 17, 1984). While his #0 Dallas Sidekicks jersey has not been officially retired, no other goalkeeper in Sidekicks history wore that number.
Throughout his three seasons as goalkeeper with the Dallas Sidekicks, he played 26 games and clocked 1,495:28 regular season minuets and 75:40 playoff minuets in 2 games. The Dallas Sidekicks won the 1986-1987 MISL Championship.
While a player, Phillips also joined the front office staff in 1986 as Director of Community Relations and Soccer Camps. Since then, he has gone on to coach and manage a numerous amount of soccer camps. Some soccer camps to note are the Dallas Sidekicks day camps, the Dallas Sidekicks 4 v 4's which he started, and Tatu
Tatu (soccer)
Antonio Carlos Pecorari , commonly known as Tatu, is a former Brazilian football player, one of the most accomplished indoor soccer players of all time....
's All Star Soccer residential camp, which just finished its 16th year in 2007.
Coaching
After retiring from goalkeeping in 1987, he was named Assistant Coach of the Dallas Sidekicks on July 6, 1987. He was then promoted to Head Coach on March 2, 1989 and remained in that position until January 21, 1991. Phillips was named MISL Coach of the Year for 1989-1990. He then returned as the Assistant Coach of the Sidekicks until he was promoted to a front office position in 1996. During his time as assistant coach, the Sidekicks went on to win their second title in 1993 when they were in the CISLContinental Indoor Soccer League
The Continental Indoor Soccer League was an indoor soccer league that played from 1993 to 1997.-History:When the Major Soccer League folded in the summer of 1992, two of its former teams joined a group of hockey and basketball arena owners led by Ron Weinstein who wanted to create a league to...
.
Pillips currently resides in Plano, Texas
Plano, Texas
Plano is a city in the state of Texas, located mostly within Collin County. The city's population was 259,841 at the 2010 census, making it the ninth-largest city in Texas and the 71st most populous city in the United States. Plano is located within the metropolitan area commonly referred to as...
. He was involved with the Dallas Sidekicks in the front office until they folded in 2004. He now works full time in a Senior Director of Corporate Sponsorships position for the Dallas Mavericks
Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks are a professional basketball team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association , and the reigning NBA champions, having defeated the Miami Heat in the 2011 NBA Finals.According to a 2011...
basketball team.
In his spare time, he has coached many youth select soccer teams including the Women's 87' Sting Soccer team. They had four Regional runs and six National runs.
Personal
Phillips will be married to his wife, Kelly Phillips, for 25 years in September 2007. They have two daughters. Paige Phillips, who graduated from The University of Kansas (KU) where she was a member of the Division I rowing team for four years. She is currently a Highland Park High School Crew (Rowing) coach in Dallas. Carley Phillips who currently is a Junior at Southern Methodist UniversitySouthern Methodist University
Southern Methodist University is a private university in Dallas, Texas, United States. Founded in 1911 by the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, SMU operates campuses in Dallas, Plano, and Taos, New Mexico. SMU is owned by the South Central Jurisdiction of the United Methodist Church...
(SMU) where she plays for the Division I soccer team and was recently named captain. She is majoring in Psychology
Psychology
Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
and Early Education
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
.