Phillips takes on another challenge
BUTLER TWP — Curt Phillips was approved as the new athletic director by the Butler school board Monday night.
To celebrate, he bathed his nearly 2-year-old son.
Such is life for Phillips, who is one part physics teacher, one part assistant track and field coach at the University of Pittsburgh and one part family man.
On July 1, Phillips will assume his newest role, that of athletic director at Butler.
He will replace Tim O'Malley, who left in April after seven years to become the executive director of the WPIAL.
KenFair has served as the interim AD since O'Malley's departure.
Phillips was one of 54 applicants for the position.
"I wasn't really following what Tim was doing," he said. "But once I heard it was open, I talked to my wife about it and decided to go for it."
Phillips has been a physics teacher at Butler for 11 years. He also was the boys track and field coach at the school for five years until 2001, when he became an assistant track and field coach at Pitt.
Butler school superintendent Ed Fink said Phillips' history as a teacher and a coach made him a logical choice for the AD position.
"We have known Curt as an excellent teacher," Fink said. "He was also an excellent coach in the district.We liked his enthusiasm, and we've always known the first priority with Curt was the success of his students."
Phillips said one of the reasons he applied for the job was the chance to tackle a new opportunity.
"I've always enjoyed challenges," Phillips said. "I went to Pitt because of the challenge."
Now his challenge will be overseeing one of the largest athletic departments in Pennsylvania.
Phillips already has begun pondering how he wants to leave his mark on the program.
"I know a lot of coaches in the district," Phillips said. "The first thing I want to do is sit down with the entire athletic department. I have some plans."
His experience at an NCAA DivisionI athletic program is something Phillips said he plans to draw on.
"It helped me see the large picture," Phillips said. "Traveling all over the country, competing at such a high level with such high expectations, it was an invaluable experience. I would like to think being in a Division I program and how a Division I program is run will help."
Phillips is undecided about his future as a track coach at Pitt.
The time constraints of doing both may be too great, he acknowledged.
"My obligation is to the school district," Phillips said. "I'll have to do what I have to do."
