AWARDS
- Saskatoon Shines Sports Tourism Award, 2012
- Coaches Association of Ontario High-Performance Award (2007)
- Tennis Professionals Association Course Facilitator of the Year (2006)
- Ontario Institute for Studies in Education of the University of Toronto (February 2007)
- Commendation Award for Outstanding Academic Achievement (2003)
- Ontario University Athletics Bronze Medalist, Varsity Squash, U of T (2001)
- University of Toronto A.F.W. Plumptre Award (1992)
- University of Toronto at Scarborough Athletic Leadership Award (1988 – 1991)
TESTIMONIALS
“David is one of those rare gems! I met him when we were working for different NSO’s. Over the many years, we have worked together on projects, I’ve employed him as a consultant and we have shared many leadership and coach education experiences. It is no exaggeration to say that he transformed the AFL’s approach to digital learning for coaches, through his creative thought and innovative approach to curriculum design.
David has the unique ability to build and maintain relationships across many levels and he demonstrates the leadership qualities we look for in contemporary leaders.”
“From the very first time I met David, I was instantly impressed by his humility, his future-focused vision of the world, and his ability to articulate innovative solutions to seemingly complex issues. David is definitely a person on a mission to mentor and develop others – be they a player, a coach, a team member, a manager, an executive or industry leader – and to help them find and surface the best of themselves, so great things can be accomplished together. As an insightful educator, inspired coach, and passionate leader, David brings significant life, sport, and industry experience to his vocation – all of which make him stand out. However, I believe the hidden gem of his character is the respectful and gentle manner in which he expresses a genuine desire to help other people achieve both their potential and their goals. He is at the cutting edge of knowledge transfer and is one of the most informed leaders I have known in curriculum development, change management, and results-oriented performance. Further, David is a brilliant mind who can easily adapt his vast expertise and experience to a wide range of situations, people and groups. He would be value-added member of any organization.”
“David has a passion for his delivery and his people. I really enjoyed the positive attitude David brings to everything he does and this made for a great working relationship. David commits to his role and his deliverables but always considers the people in his team and around. David has one of the most engaging personalities I have ever been fortunate to work with. If you are looking for a highly skilled and engaging communicator that is able to brings teams together to deliver exceptional results then I would highly recommend David.”
“David is one of the worlds most innovative coach education leaders. He has changed the coaching culture within large organisations to move the dial continuously forwards for coaches. He can run world class coaching education learning programmes which engages and inspires coaches to regenerate and develop. He understands learning journeys for coaches and can manage complex organisational challenges to deliver strategies to different stakeholders. He has both a creative and analytical strategic brain and vision to help people teams and leaders transform.”
“David is one of the most innovative leaders I have worked with. His ability to manage large events with exceptional detail, whilst maintaining opportunities for others such as myself to contribute, grow and develop is a rare feat.
His support and passion for his team members, including their personal and professional development is unparalleled in our industry.
Having worked both under David’s leadership and alongside him as a colleague, I am forever grateful for the conversations we shared and his investment in me as a person.”
“I have been both an (adult) student of David’s dating back 15 years, and more recently, a project collaborator, so I’ve worked with him from several angles. David is truly one of a kind. He is a passionate, experienced and empathic educator/leader/facilitator, capable of tackling any challenge and truly invested in the success of others. He operates within a solid learning framework but consistently promotes new ideas, active participation, and 360-degree thinking. David’s discipline and organized approach are welcome traits in a hectic world. He is superbly educated and has a range of experience that allows him to connect, genuinely, with people at all levels.
David is enthusiastic, holds high standards, and is willing to work harder than everyone else – all of which make him indispensable to organizations seeking optimum outcomes. Best of all, his warm good nature and great sense of humour make working with him a true pleasure.”
“Having known and corresponded with David for numerous years now, I’d without hesitation say that he’s one of the most professional and consistent people in the business that I’ve ever met. His extraordinary ability to coordinate events, manage people and execute strategy is exceptional.”
“David is one of the most experienced and knowledgeable tennis course facilitators in Canada and someone I learned a tremendous amount from in this area when he was my facilitator for the instructor, club pro 1 and club pro 2 courses I attended. David is an incredibly smart, respectful and hardworking individual whom I would highly recommend.”
“David is a leader in change management, event management and learning systems. He had a major impact on the effectiveness of coaching courses across the country when he was a Tennis Canada Head Course Facilitator for Ontario in terms of course design and implementation. In every project or event I worked with David, he was always well organized and set things up with exceptional planning and forethought. He has led teams effectively in multiple contexts and constantly strives for innovation.”
“David is a leader who encourages staff and colleagues to become the very best version of themselves. Under his leadership I received more professional development than in the rest of my career combined. He is a coach at heart and enjoys seeing people – and organisations – grow and flourish. He has the ability to bring change to companies through innovative thinking and strategic execution. We worked together organising one of the World’s largest tennis coach conferences and each event he pushed the team to challenge status quo and continually improve the customer experience. I am grateful to him for his investment in me and know that whatever he puts his mind to he will succeed in.”
“Having worked with David on various projects over the past six years, I am in a good position to write a recommendation. David is a very creative thinker and brings new initiatives and perspectives to the table. He has a high attention to detail and is able to lead and develop teams to get the most out of people.”
(* from the 2007 Coaching Association of Ontario High-Performance Coaching Excellence Award)
“I have worked with David since I was 14. He was my main coach throughout my junior career and was a huge influence in not only the development of my tennis but the development of myself as a person. His positive attitude and continuous support increased my confidence on and off the tennis court. He was a great coach for me….always positive and upbeat and made the game fun in addition to being an excellent teacher. The obvious implications of David’s work are in the development of my tennis game, but there are other aspects of my life that he has had an affect on. When I decided to pursue a tennis scholarship in the U.S., David helped me in every aspect possible: on-court training, developing my resume, producing my video, and speaking with interested coaches. All of these efforts contributed greatly to the scholarship that I received. I can honestly say that I use many of his coaching techniques and philosophies today with my own players. However, the best part of David as a coach was how much he cared about you off the court, he was an excellent role model and I am very appreciative of all of his efforts!”
“Integrity, patience, persistence, sincerity and graciousness are all words that describe David. If it wasn’t for David’s belief in my capabilities as a player and his ability to push me past my limits, I would have never reached the levels of success that I did. My most painful losses were David’s most painful moments and my greatest moments were also David’s greatest moments; he was right by my side during the good times and the bad times. He inspired me in ways that no other coach has ever. He has taught me the fundamentals of the game which in turn created the backbone of my success as a player. He is not only a brilliant tennis coach but he is a truly wonderful friend and an amazing human being, which is a combination that one finds only once in a lifetime.”
“David taught me like no other coaching experience I have ever had. Tennis was not just about a ball and a net and good contact with the racquet, it was an athlete and the mental and physical testing that took place in every aspect of your life. David showed me that in order to be successful one must commit to it all and be happy in doing so. If you weren’t going to be honest with yourself and not commit 100%, then why do it? It wasn’t about the tournament results with David, it was about learning something every time you stepped on and off that court, whether to do directly with the sport or not. I learned more about myself and my own abilities in my years with David, that someone would learn over their entire life…if lucky. Through David’s advanced academic knowledge you wouldn’t only learn how to connect mind with the body but you’d even be in for the treat of hearing on how it relates back to Roman Times.
My years spent with David will be memories and an experience I will never forget. Whether it was seeing my tennis soar in development, the lessons I learned in life or in the tennis world, or the amount of laughing I would do in the span of a two-hour training was almost record breaking. Thank you, David, for everything and I don’t think you’ll ever understand the positive and unforgettable impact you made on my life.”
“Dave was the most dedicated coach I’ve ever had. His technical expertise and his ongoing enthusiasm helped take my game to new levels. He was always prepared to work with me on and off the court, in order to make me the most mentally and physically prepared player I could be. Dave taught me discipline, mental toughness, and work ethic standards that will stay with me all my life. Dave was more than just a coach, he was a friend and even parent-type when he needed to be.”
“As an adolescent, David gave me the direction, discipline, and self-confidence I needed on and off the court. As an adult, David continues to inspire me and give me new perspectives. He has played a central role in my life and I can honestly say that I am a better person because of him.”
“David Phillips coached our son Nicholas from the time Nicholas was seven years old. For several years, leading up to Nicholas’s departure for the University of California on a tennis scholarship, David provided tremendous technical, fitness and psychological training for him. We have no doubt that Nicholas’s unique talent and playing style were nourished by David’s insight, and that his intellectual growth too benefited from the mentoring he received. David has remained a close family friend, and we have watched his own successful evolution – academic and professional – with great continuing interest.”
“David was very instrumental in helping our son, Timothy, secure a scholarship at Rollins University. He was not just an excellent coach, but a mentor to our son. David always went above and beyond what a coach should do whether it be on the court, or in advice concerning academics or what school to choose. He is a very approachable person. Our sincere thanks and appreciation to David for all his work and effort concerning Timothy.”