MCHS confirms board member as unpaid coach


*****Updated 6/27/2019 2:14 pm – To include Phillips’ comments*******

MCHS Mens’ Head Basketball Coach Ryan Phillips

Marion County High School men’s basketball team has gleaned the benefit of Marion County School Board member Ryan Phillips as an assistant coach for several years. Phillips will now be head coach for the 7AA team for the 2019-2020 season. Obviously, Phillips isn’t accepting the coach’s stipend for the position as not to conflict with his position on the board and can’t, therefore, be a school district “employee.” MCHS Athletic Director and Director of Schools are, obviously, on board with Phillips’ legacy with the program being elevated. MCHS’ team will have a very different dynamic as they come to terms with the seniors they lost from last year’s team, but, hopefully, will excel with a certain continuity in the head coach’s position.

Phillips has a unique situation as MCHS’ Athletic Director, Chuck Keef, is also his predecessor as the mens’ basketball head coach. Keef is excited about the prospect though. “Well, we had no teaching positions that were coming available this year which made for a good situation for school overall,” Keef, who is also Vice Principal at MCHS, began, “But left us in a bit of quandary as to how to attract a coach without a teaching position.” When asked if Phillips’ being named was just a ‘fix’ for this year, Keef said curtly, “Every coaching situation is evaluated at the end of each year.” Keef was eager to tout Phillips credentials on the basketball court. “I think he’s a good fit because he already knows the kids. He’s been an assistant coach…probably twenty years now and he’s been here at MCHS with me ten plus years.” Keef also was pleased about the familiarity Phillips has with the program. “He knows the school, he knows the kids and what they’re capable of and I think along with the crop of upcoming freshman is going to make a real opportunity for him to have a good season,” Keef said. For his part, Phillips is excited for several reasons. “Being a graduate of Marion County High School and being involved with coaching basketball in some shape or form for 20 years, the beginning of basketball season is always exciting,” Phillips continued, “This opportunity will bring a whole new dynamic.

Ryan Phillips has assisted with both the boys and the girls varsity team at MCHS for several seasons. Phillips has quietly fine tuned some of MCHS’ best basketball exports include Keta Robinette and Cody Henegar. Phillips’ role has been largely supplemental to the overall scheme of the mens’ team strategy. There was a lot of in-game, one-on-one teaching between Phillips and the players, but now Phillips will be taking the reigns of the program on his own shoulders and orchestrating his own strategy. Phillips said, “Obviously, we are going to see what works for our boys and how we can get the most out of the talent we have. Lots of talent on this team, its just a matter of putting together the pieces.”

Director of Schools, Mark Griffith said, “We had of couple of candidates that were interested in the position at different times in the process, but both of them fell through for one reason or another.” The School Board had expressed a desire for all schools to have their coaching requests into the board for approval before the start of the July 1 start of the fiscal year to avoid needing to approve coaches throughout the year. Each coach is vetted through the central office including a background check so there was a general desire to have all that done at one time to whatever degree possible. As far as his reign being permanent, Phillips said, “When my brothers and I started this coaching gig in 1998, we wanted to help kids learn the game of basketball. We had some successful years doing that and alot of fun. We have coached alot of talented kids. Both my older and younger brothers have since stopped coaching, but I just keep going. I dont really know how this will play out. We are just going to take this a game at time. Who knows, If i stick around long enough, I may be able to talk my older brother Mack out of retirement.” However, Phillips was less optimistic about seeing his other brother as an assistant, laughably saying, “As far as my younger brother David, it would be easier getting blood out of a turnip, than to have him wear purple again.” David Phillips teaches at South Pittsburg High School, a heated rival of Marion County High School.

Time will tell if this tested assistant will be able to usher in a new chapter of Warrior basketball lore.

 

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