Ike’s Phil English Named To X-Country Hall of Fame

The Washington State Cross Country Coaches Association will be inducting Eisenhower High School Track and Cross Country Coach Phil English into their Hall of Fame tomorrow (Jan. 19) at the Washington State Track and Field/Cross Country Coaches Convention in Tacoma this weekend held from 5:30pm-7: 00 pm at the Hotel Murano in Tacoma.

English grew up in Ireland before attending Washington State University on an athletic scholarship from 1973-1977competing in both cross country and track and field for the Cougars.

Phil never intended to actually get into coaching. His interests were in teaching and research. However, when he started teaching at Carroll in 1979, the head coaching positions were open in both track and cross country. Teaching and coaching were both parts of the same package at the small Catholic school in Yakima. At the time, he was training for the 1980 Irish Olympic Trials in the marathon.

His coaching honors include:
League Titles: Girls (21), Boys (21)
District Titles: Girls (21), Boys (22)
State Appearances: Girls (31), Boys (21)
State XC Trophies:Girls (13), Boys (12)
State Titles: Girls ('82, '83, '84, '89, '94, '99, '00, '10) Boys ('85, '87 & '10)
State Track Team Titles: Girls ('99) State Track Runner-Up ('00).
Individual Champions: Kathy Rouleau ('82), Kris Vickers ('83), Robert Price ('83, '84, '85), Robin Bryson (1988) and Aleah Thome ('94)
Nike Team Nationals: Boys (9th Place - '04)
Washington State Girls 'Coach of the Year': '94 & '01
Monday Morning Quarterbacks, Female Team-'Coach of the Year': '99, '00
NFHS National Girls 'Coach of the Year': '01
Yakima Sports Awards 'Coach of the Year': '10 & '11,
NFHS Northwest Sectional Boys 'Coach of the Year': '11