School Selects Current Varsity Boys Soccer Coach, Head of PE Department, James Phillips, from 119 Applicants
MELBOURNE, FLA. (June 11, 2018) – Holy Trinity Episcopal Academy (HTEA) announced today the appointment of its new athletic director, Mr. James Phillips. Phillips currently serves as head of Holy Trinity’s physical education department, as a physical education teacher and head varsity boys soccer coach. He is also the current director of select programs for Space Coast United Soccer Club.
Phillips has been with Holy Trinity since 2006 and has more than 20 years’ experience coaching at the youth, high school and collegiate levels. Previous roles included head and assistant coaching positions with Space Coast United Soccer, Melbourne Central Catholic High School and Florida Institute of Technology. Formerly a professional soccer player with Swindon Town Football Club in Swindon, England, Phillips has led Holy Trinity’s boys varsity soccer team to one regional and nine district championships. Phillips holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Florida Institute of Technology.
“Out of 119 applicants, our own James Phillips rose to the top as the perfect candidate to become the new athletic director at Holy Trinity,” said president of Holy Trinity Episcopal Academy, Dr. Katherine M. Cobb. “James has been a member of the Holy Trinity family for 12 years and during that time he has been a teacher, coach and mentor to many. James embodies the ‘Holy Trinity Way’ in every aspect of his coaching and teaching; he has a competitive spirit combined with a professional and friendly demeanor. We are proud to have James lead our outstanding coaching staff to continue to foster the HTEA commitment to scholarship, competition, and sportsmanship in our school community.”
Phillips fills the position vacated by Mr. Scott Crockett, who has accepted a position as athletic director for an international school in the Dominican Republic. Crockett held the role for four years.
Of his new position, Phillips said, “It is truly an honor being named athletic director at Holy Trinity Episcopal Academy. After 12 years in the PE department, I enter this new position with a deep love for this school and great enthusiasm for my new role. My goal is to build on the outstanding job Scott Crockett has done over the past four years. I’m looking forward to partnering with faculty, staff and coaches, but most importantly, with the talented student-athletes here at Holy Trinity to build the legacy of the Tigers for years to come.”
A search committee comprised of members of the Holy Trinity leadership team, faculty, staff, and parents, narrowed down the pool of 119 applicants to eight candidates with whom an in-person or Skype interview was conducted. Candidates were scored individually on criteria including educational background, athletics management, budget management, leadership and ability to embody the Mission, Vision and Core Values of HTEA. At the conclusion of the interviews, scores were tallied, and the five candidates with the highest scores were then passed along to Holy Trinity’s leadership team for a second round of interviews. This interview process is standard and recommended practice among members of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) and National Association of Episcopal Schools (NAES) to ensure fairness and transparency in all steps of the process.
About Holy Trinity Episcopal Academy
Founded in 1957, Holy Trinity Episcopal Academy serves approximately 870 students on two campuses: the historic Lower School Parish Campus at 50 W. Strawbridge Ave. in Melbourne, which serves students in preschool through grade six, and the Upper School Campus just south of the Pineda Causeway, which serves students in grades 7-12. The school’s environment reflects the joy and peace of Christian values with an emphasis on educating the whole child – mind, body and spirit. Students benefit from the continuity of an academically challenging, college preparatory curriculum which enables them to “Start Here. Go Anywhere.” For more information, visit www.htacademy.org or call 321-723-8323.
