Coach Phil is a hero behind the scenes, and a hero on the ice.

Phil and Kyle’s story goes all the way back to their high school days, when they attended school together and shared the ice as teammates. Phil began his coaching journey 10 years ago, but as life evolved and new priorities emerged, he gradually stepped away from the game to focus on what came next. Two and a half years ago, hockey brought Phil and Kyle back together through The Hitmen spring program. While working a full-time job, Phil felt the pull to return to the rink and reconnect with coaching...a game and community that had always meant so much to him.

For Phil, coaching has always been about more than hockey. He has a natural ability to connect with young athletes, help them grow, and make a lasting impact on their lives. Returning to the ice gave him an opportunity to re-engage with that calling, and it didn’t take long for that spark to become something bigger. After just a few weeks of helping with The Hitmen teams a few days at a time, Phil realized how much he loved being back at the rink. He loved working with the players, being part of the culture, and contributing to something meaningful. More than anything, he felt like he belonged.

Before long, one thought kept coming back to him: “How the heck can I do this full time?”

So Phil called a meeting with Kyle to talk about what that might look like. Within the first few minutes of the conversation, Kyle knew one thing for certain: he had to find a way to make it work. When Hull Hockey started with a single one-on-one lesson 16 years ago, Kyle never imagined there would come a day when the program would be in a position to bring on a full-time team member. But Hull Hockey had been bursting at the seams for some time, and it was becoming clear that the only way to continue growing, and more importantly expand its impact, was to grow the team behind it.

But this wasn’t simply about hiring another coach. It was about finding the right person. Over the years, plenty of people had expressed interest in working with Hull Hockey full time. But there had never been a moment when adding someone felt absolutely necessary. And if Hull Hockey was going to take that leap, there could be no compromising on who that person would be. We wanted someone we could trust around young athletes every single day. Someone who understood that great coaching isn’t just about developing better hockey players, it’s about developing better people. Someone who would care just as much about who these kids become as how they perform on the ice.

We felt like we had one chance to get it right. And boy, did we knock it out of the park. Phil wasn’t just the help Hull Hockey needed. He was the person Hull Hockey needed. What began as a return to the rink became something much bigger. Phil had found his way back to coaching, back to his calling, and back to a culture where he belonged. And this time, he was all in.

Today, Coach Phil serves as Hull Hockey’s Director of Operations, and it’s hard to imagine what Hull Hockey would look like without him. From scheduling and staffing to solving the countless behind-the-scenes challenges that come with keeping everything moving, Phil is the glue that holds so much of Hull Hockey together. But his impact doesn’t stop when the spreadsheets close and the skates go on.

Put Phil on the ice with a group of kids, and you quickly understand why he belongs here. He has a way of connecting with young athletes that can’t be taught. The kids gravitate toward him because they know he genuinely cares. He can challenge them, make them laugh, build their confidence, and help them become better players and people, all while making sure they’re having fun along the way.

That’s Coach Phil. He’s one of the most humble, genuine, and authentic people you’ll ever meet. He doesn’t seek recognition or need the spotlight. He simply shows up every day, does whatever needs to be done, and pours himself into making Hull Hockey, and the people around him, better.

Some people make an organization bigger. Others make it better. Phil has helped Hull Hockey become both. We couldn’t be prouder to have Coach Phil as the glue that holds so much of this together, and even more importantly, as someone who shares our passion for making a difference in the lives of young athletes.

He may be the hero behind the scenes, but anyone who has spent time around Hull Hockey knows the truth: Coach Phil is one of our heroes on the ice, too.