2LT Gary Phillips

Handball

2LT Gary Phillips never imagined team handball would become his path to international competition. Originally recruited to West Point as a quarterback, Phillips stepped away from football after his freshman year and decided to try a sport he had never heard of before. Out of more than 100 cadets who tried out, he earned one of only five roster spots, and after his first tournament was selected to the U.S. Junior National Team, he realized his Olympic potential. The Van Buren, Arkansas, native joined the Army because he wanted to be part of the prestigious West Point tradition while making his family and hometown proud. Today, Phillips competes through the Army World Class Athlete Program, where he continues pursuing excellence in team handball while serving as an Army officer. He considers representing both the United States and the Army on the international stage one of the greatest honors of his life.