Remembering Ronnie Phillips

Christy Bailey, The News Courier, Athens, Ala.
·3 min read

Jun. 10—Former Athens High School football head coach Ronnie Phillips passed away Friday, May 26, and services were held Monday in Athens. Phillips led the Athens High School Golden Eagles to a State Co-Championship in 1976. Phillips also coached the Athens High School Track Team to several state championships in the 1970s. He was named 3 A Alabama Coach of the Year in 1976.

"Daddy really enjoyed teaching and coaching. I think he enjoyed the teaching aspect of coaching. When I was a freshman, Walter Fitzgerald told me he would never have learned how to get his triple jump without my dad's help. I didn't really think about it until much later, and I thought, I am pretty sure daddy never did the triple jump. He probably just learned that so he could teach others," his son Bradley Phillips said. "He had told me that he had to learn about how to pole vault by watching videos. He never did it himself. He just wanted to learn how to do so he could teach others."

Phillips was coach Larry McCoy's assistant coach at Athens High School in 1975 when the Athens Golden Eagles football team won the State Championship.

"He was a very big part of our success in the '70s. Our '70s were pretty strong there for the Golden Eagles in football and in track. Coach Phillips did an excellent job. Great person, great friend, outstanding teacher — just a good all around educator," McCoy said.

Phillips was the head football coach at Athens High School from 1976-1979 during which time, Athens moved up to 4A.

"We were playing a B-team game in Cullman. We were beating them very bad. Everything we tried on offense was working and we tried every play in the playbook to try to hold the score down. We had one play called the "Tight-end Reverse" and I was the tight-end. We ran that play and I got tackled for a loss. As I came to the sideline, Coach Phillips smiled at me and said, 'Well, we know who shouldn't run this play next time,'" former player Andy Balch said.

Phillips also taught math at Athens High School, Calhoun Community College, and Martin Methodist.

Former Athens High School principal Tee Jackson spoke about the respect other faculty members had for Phillips and described him as an "encourager" and "team player."

"Many times he took time to council with them and tutor with them and he knew which ones needed it the most," Jackson said. "I saw his compassion for people, not just the students."

Phillips is survived by his wife of 66 years, Carolyn Phillips; son and daughter-in-law Brad and Lynn Phillips; daughter and son-in-law Kyle and Don Turner; brother Gary Phillips; grandson Clint Turner and his wife Tara and great-grandsons Caleb, Cameron, and Caden; grandson Philip Turner and his wife Jennifer and great-grandchildren Madelyn, Brock, and Ali. Also left is his giant lap dog, Joey.