Phil Dixon, Hoops Skool's director and head coach, is considered to be one of the greatest basketball players to ever come out of Canada.
Growing up in Toronto, Phil has been playing basketball since he was twelve years old. He attended Bathurst Heights Secondary School where he played on the school's basketball team. Phil led the team to victory at the Ontario provincial championships.
Phil's unusual talent did not go unnoticed by university scouts. After receiving over one hundred basketball scholarship offers, Phil decided to go to the University of Utah. He played for Utah in the NCAA.
Phil also played in the NIT for one year and made it to the Final Four, where his team was defeated in the semi-finals by Notre Dame at Madison Square Gardens. Phil also played on the Canadian National Basketball Team from 1990 to 1997.
In 2003, Phil entered the Nike Battlegrounds One-on-One Streetball Tournament, a city-wide invitation-only tournament. In front of a crowd of over 6500 people, Phil won the tournament and was crowned "King of Toronto". He received a $10,000 prize, a one year Nike shoe contract, and, most rewarding to Phil, a brand new court built in the location of Phil's choice. Phil chose his old neighbourhood as it did not have a local court. The court continues to be a favourite of players of all ages.
After a long and exciting basketball career, Phil felt that he had learned so much about the game and wanted to teach these skills to young basketball enthusiasts. That's why, in 2000, he started Hoops Skool.
In addition to operating Hoops Skool, Phil Dixon is an experienced basketball choreographer for film and television.
His portfolio includes:
- The 2005 major motion picture The Four Brothers
- The Man, a 2005 major motion picture starring Samuel L. Jackson and Eugene Levy
- The Hoop Life, a miniseries on Showtime
- Street Time, a TV series featuring Canadian-born basketball pro Rick Fox
- Nike advertisements
- A Toronto Raptors TV commercial
Phil also operates year-round basketball clinics for teams throughout Ontario. Phil acts as a guest coach and teaches team members game fundamentals, skills and coordination, the same things that he teaches at Hoops Skool. The clinics have been operating in twenty schools for more than four years.
Phil is also a sought-after personal trainer. Phil's clients appreciate his experience in the field of exercise and athleticism and benefit from his constant moral support.
"Phil is different than other trainers because he doesn't only teach you how to get in shape, he instills a sense of confidence and integrity in you that you never had before. I know this is why I had so much more success with Phil than with any other trainer."
-Daniel Shiner, Client
