Phil Faulkner
By Gloria Austin
Staff Writer
Phil Faulkner has been honored with the 2013 State Award of Merit by the Maine Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (MIAAA) last month.
Faulkner is the Registered Athletic Administrator for RSU 50 at Katahdin middle and high schools.
Faulkner was unable to attend the state athletic directors conference at the Samoset Resort in Rockport.
The award is provided annually by the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (NIAAA) for recognition of meritorious dedication to high school and middle school athletics.
The award is picked by administrators in Maine, with nominations voted on by the Maine Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association and recommended to the national committee, where a candidate is then selected.
“It felt good to be coming from a small school and getting such recognition,” said Faulkner. “But, you have to thank a lot of your peers who have helped you, the students, staff and administration. An award is only good enough to put upon a shelf.
“To me it means, you might be doing the right job,” he added. “But, I think it is a prestigious award.”
Faulkner has served in an administrative capacity — teaching, coaching and athletic director — for 48 years. He received his bachelor degree at Bridgewater Classical Academy and Aroostook State Teachers College in 1957. He has been a member and supporter of the NIAAA for the last seven years and is a registered athletic administrator.
“Being with the kids and working with the people that I have to work with keeps you young,” he said. “It keeps you going. It keeps your interest in athletics, which has been the love of my life.
“Athletics is something I have done all of my life,” he added. “I either played or have been around people who are playing. It’s something like the Fountain of Youth, you get a drink of it and you just can’t let go. It just keeps you going.”
Faulkner has coached several sports at both the middle and high school levels and officiated for both soccer and basketball. Faulkner’s dedication to education and the athletic field has been recognized by receiving excellence and years of service awards.
Faulkner is currently serving on the MIAAA board of directors representing the Aroostook League and has served on the Maine Principals’ Association basketball committee. Faulkner has been a presider and presenter at several MIAAA conferences and was the recipient of the 2011 MIAAA Robert Boucher Award recognizing athletic administrators.
Faulkner has seen many changes as an athletic administrator through the years.
“The biggest change I ever saw was the three-point shot,” he said.
Now, with the addition of the Maine Basketball Hall of Fame and Hall of Fames for other sports it will be quite interesting, according to Faulkner.
“People are getting recognized by the things they have done over a period of years,” he said. “If you stay with it long enough, sometimes good things happen.
