The University of Trinidad and Tobago has announced that it will confer the title of Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters to Mr. Lincoln Phillips for his contribution to football.

It is the second major honor bestowed onto the football pioneer in 2020. Back in January, Mr. Phillips received the United States Lifetime Achievement Award, for his contribution to the sport in that country.

Lincoln Phillips is one of the nation’s football pioneers, with dedicated involvement in the sport at every participation level. During his childhood, he helped lead Queen’s Royal College to national championships in football and cricket. His emergence as the starting goalkeeper for Maple Football Club also yielded two national championships and he also played a key role in the Trinidad and Tobago Regiment’s national championship titles in football and basketball.

During the 1967 Pan American Games, he led Trinidad and Tobago to a third place finish. He later served the Trinidad and Tobago Senior Mens’ team as its Technical Director, when they made it to the 2006 FIFA World Cup. While in this role, he introduced the National Coaching Scheme, which certified over nine hundred licensed football coaches. This undoubtedly played a role in the successes of the country’s Under 17 and Under 20 teams on the road to qualification for their respective World Cups.

As a youth, he played for various teams in the United States, collecting a number of accolades, including League All-Star and eventually, Coach of the Year. He made history leading Howard University to the NCAA Championship in 1974 with a historic unbeaten record. He has also established the Lincoln Phillips Soccer School and Goalkeeping Academy in the United States which aids in the development of youth progammes and players.