Hall of Fame soccer coach speaks to Rotary

Pictured (l-r) are St. Andrews Rotary President Didier Nobels; Daniel Lynch, Irmo High School student body president and soccer team captain who is committed to play soccer for USC in the fall of 2008; Coach Phil Savitz; Oliver Nobels, rising sophomore & President Didier's son; and Col. Pete Sercer, Program Chairman for St. Andrews Rotary Club. Phil Savitz, coach at Irmo High for 27 years and graduate assistant as USC 1978- 1980, shared his lifetime achievements at the St. Andrews Rotary Club Tuesday, July 31. Rotarian Col. Pete Sercer, who worked with Phil for over 22 years said, "I can tell you firsthand, there is no finer role model for our young people than Coach Savitz."

Philip Savitz was born in Columbia and graduated from Flora High School and has a masters degree from USC. He coached 27 years at Irmo High and two years as a graduate assistant at USC (1978- 1980).

Savitz's career coaching record at Irmo is 502- 63- 5 - the winningest coach in SC. He is a 13- time Region Coach of the Year; four- time S.C. Athletic Coaches Association State Coach of the Year; National Soccer Coaches Association of America Southern Region Coach of the Year, 1989; National High School Coaches Association Region III Coach of the Year, 1991; National High School Coaches Association Coach of the Year

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Coach of the Decade for 1980- 1990;

He has won 13 state championships. In 2007, he was selected to the SC High School Soccer Coaches Association Hall of Fame.