Bruce Philips, formerly head baseball coach at Kankakee Community College, is in his fifth season as an assistant to Irish O'Reilly.

Beginning in 1980, Philips served two tenures totaling 16 years as Kankakee's head baseball coach. His teams won 15 sectional, district, regional and conference championships. Philips was NJCAA Region IV Coach of the Year in 1995, 1997 and 1998; Louisville Slugger District Coach of the Year, Diamond Sports District Coach of the Year, NJCAA District Coach of the Year and Chicago Pitch and Hit Club Community College Coach of the Year in 1997 and 1998; and Chicago Pitch and Hit Club College Coach of the Year in 1995.

Philips also was head women's basketball coach for 10 years and head women's volleyball coach, head softball coach, head cross country coach and head track and field coach for two seasons each at KCC. He continues as a professor in the Health and Physical Education and Teacher Education departments at the college.

Philips has served as president and vice president of the Chicago Professional Baseball Pitch and Hit Club. He also is a member of the American Baseball Coaches Association, the National High School Baseball Coaches Association, the Illinois High School Baseball Coaches Association, the Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association and Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society.

A resident of St. Anne, Philips earned an associate's degree at KCC, where he assisted with O'Reilly's 1974 team that finished seventh in the nation. He earned bachelor's and master's degrees in physical education at Olivet Nazarene University.

Philips is married to Dee Philips, a fifth-grade teacher in Clifton, Ill.