Ty Phillips is a storyteller. The one that he tells about his connection to the sport of soccer is because of an old program supported by the Columbus Crew. Twenty years ago, the Crew worked with Kicks for Kids. They were a program that not only brought inner-city kids to soccer matches but visited them where they lived. Phillips remembers fondly meeting former Black & Gold players Edson Buddle and Jeff Cunningham through this program and learning how cool soccer was.
The sport has been part of his life ever since. Now 31 years old, Phillips plays in rec leagues around Columbus, even once with the wife of former Crewwinger David Accam.