He was also a two-time first team All American goalkeeper at Southern Methodist University.
Phillips grew up in Dallas, Texas and attended Southern Methodist University where he played on the men's soccer team from 1977 to 1980.
[1] In 1980, Phillips signed with the Minnesota Kicks of the North American Soccer League.
He played in ten games, but the Kicks folded at the end of the season and on December 8, 1981, the Tulsa Roughnecks acquired Phillips in the Dispersal Draft.
[3] The ASL collapsed at the end of the season and the American players moved to the newly established United Soccer League.