Phil Allen
Basketball Builder - Inducted 2018
Phil Allen was active in many areas of Alberta basketball including youth programs, collegiate sports, administrative roles, and Basketball Alberta. He left his mark in Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) and Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) college basketball when he set the record for most wins by a men's basketball coach at 805. He led his ACAC teams to ten provincial titles, and achieved three silver medals and two bronze. His teams played in six CCAAC National Championships - his SAIT teams won the gold in 1982 and 1986. Phil coached the Alberta Wheelchair Basketball Team for two seasons and the National Wheelchair Team for one season.
Phil began his ACAC coaching career at Grant MacEwan as an Assistant Coach. In 1978, he became the Head Coach of the SAIT Trojans. He was with SAIT for fourteen seasons and coached his teams to nine Provincial Championships, with seven in a row from 1980 to 1986. His 1986 team went undefeated with a 34-0 record. He was a driving force behind the SAIT Trojan Athletic Foundation and instituted the annual men's SAIT Holiday Classic Tournament. Phil was the innovator and developer of SAIT's basketball camps. For 15 years, six weeks each summer, he actively coached and inspired grade 7 to 12 boys and girls on the intricacies of basketball.
Phil eventually returned to Grant MacEwan to coach a total of seven seasons. He finished his collegiate career at Lakeland College for five seasons and took the Lakeland Rustlers to Nationals in 2008. He also was Lakeland's Vice President and the Director of Marketing and Recruitment. During the course of 26 years of being a Head Coach, he only missed the postseason twice. He took his teams to ten National CCAA tournament appearances and won two gold, four silver, and two bronze medals. Phil produced nine All-Canadians and 30 ACAC All-Stars. He was selected ACAC Coach of the Year three times and named CCAA's Top Coach in 1983. He also set the record for 'most games coached' in Men's ACAC history.
"Phil was an absolute fierce competitor in terms of when he was on the court coaching and in practice… As soon as practice was done, he joked around. He truly cared about his players and he just had an infectious personality. He was always excited; he was excited about athletics and teams doing well. He was one of those people who just get you fired up for your day."
- Chris King, the women's basketball Coach at Lakeland and a former player of Allen's.
Phil's participation in basketball started before his ACAC career. In 1979, he coached the Canadian Men's Wheelchair basketball team and led them to a 4th place finish at the International Gold Cup in Florida. He was an Assistant Coach at the University of Calgary, Concordia University College in Edmonton, and at Olds College with the women's program. He originally was a Junior High Coach for three years. In Edmonton, he helped develop the Club Basketball System - which allowed athletes to participate in basketball outside of their school teams. He was a Club Coach for five years with 10-12-year-olds and 14-15-year-olds.
Phil Allen was inducted onto the SAIT Wall of Distinction in 2004 and the ACAC Hall of Fame in 2014.
After Induction
2016 - Allen passed away at the age of 63
