Phil Faulkner has been a fixture in Maine basketball for over sixty years. He has been successful as a player and coach wherever he went. A native of Island Falls, Phil played for Bridgewater Academy where the lanky 6’3” jumping jack was a match -up nightmare for opposing teams. He graduated from high school as All-County player in 1955.
After high school, Phil attended what is now the University of Maine at Presque Isle. He was an all-Aroostook County selection as Phil led his college team in scoring and rebounding all four seasons.
It was a natural transition from player to coach for Phil and , after a short stint in the service of Uncle Sam, he spent the next 50 years coaching at Island Falls, Hodgdon, Southern Aroostook, and Katahdin High Schools. In the process, he won three State Championship, in 1969, 1977, 1985, and 1987. Phil was named Coach of the Year 5 times and was honored to coach the MacDonald’s All- Stars on five different occasions.
Phil has been inducted into the U.M.P.I. Hall of Fame and the Maine Sports Legends Hall of Honors.
He received his rocking chair from the Maine Basketball Coaches Association emblematic of achieving 300 wins as an active coach.
Hall of Fame coach Bill McAvoy’s teams played against Phil’s squads many times and he says, “When we played against Phil, we knew his players were disciplined, and purposeful. They were a handful every night. No one got more out of their kids than Phil. I learned a lot watching him interact with his players. He was a hell of a coach.”
Phil has served as an Athletic Administrator for over 40 years. Phil and his wife Suzanne have two children Angela and Sean. He lives in his hometown of Island Falls and is still active in athletics