Former Pac-10 standout ready to make moves in arena ball
Written by Britney Francis, Sunday March 07 2010
For those who haven’t had their fill of pigskin action, the first weekend in April marks the beginning of a 16-week season of more football. With the excitement of the Arena Football League’s much-anticipated return on April 2, there is one AFL player with a big heart that fans should keep an eye on.
Blair Phillips of the Cleveland Gladiators is a headstrong, powerful and driven athlete with aspirations to succeed as a professional athlete as well as outside of the sports world. Being a former standout Pac-10 football player and University of Oregon graduate, the ceiling is very high for this young man.
Born in Oakland, Calif. and raised in Louisiana, football has always been his passion. After graduating from Oregon with a degree in psychology, Phillips taught at his alma mater Bolton High School and served as a defensive coach during the 2009 season. However, his journey did not begin there.
During his college football career with the Oregon Ducks, Phillips used his athletic ability and leadership skills to earn several noteworthy honors. Phillips was named Team Captain and Team MVP for Oregon, along with being selected as an All-Pac 10 linebacker in 2006. Having played for the Dallas Cowboys in 2007 as well as the New York Jets in 2008, Phillips is fully aware of his potential to be a star athlete and servant to his community.
Phillips will make his AFL debut for the Cleveland Gladiators against the Arizona Rattlers on April 3. To coincide with his football career, Phillips plans to start a mentoring program for the young men in his hometown of Alexandria, La. With his experience as an educator and a father, Phillips believes he can make a difference in the lives of the young men he plans to reach through his mentoring initiative.
The AFL inked a deal to broadcast games on Friday nights with the NFL Network. The Gladiators will travel to the Windy City to face the Chicago Rush on April 9.
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