The Foundation founder, Bobby R. Phills, II, after becoming established in the NBA as a professional athlete, decided that it was time to begin to give back to his community, a community that gave so much to him as he rose up through the athletic ranks of a sport that he loved so much and worked so hard, on and off the court, to excel. The question quickly arose as to how and in what manner could and would he give back. Because of his strong parental influence, he learned early on in life that if sports were to be an important part of his life, he MUST first get his academics in order. In short, he knew that he had to always maintain a proper balance between academics and athletics.He knew that he had to work just as hard to develop his academic skills as he did to develop his athletic skills. Thus, in 1996, when he was looking for some way to give back to his community, he thought of establishing a foundation, similar to many of his peer athletes. However, he didn’t want just any foundation. He wanted it to be special and meaningful to anyone who heard about it.
In discussing it with his father, Bobby Phills, Sr., they came up with the foundation name,”Bobby Phills Educational Awareness Foundation.” He liked it because it placed emphasis on education, but something was still missing. In discussing a possible foundation logo, he knew that he not only wanted to stress education or academics, but athletics as well. He knew that most youth could and do readily relate to athletics, but not always academics. This is especially true among inner city youth, who all too often see sports as the only way out of the substandard conditions of their surroundings. Thus, he decided that the Foundation Logo must emphasize brains as well as sports and that it should depict a proper balance between the two. The elder Phills now had something to work with: brains, athletics or sports, and a balancing of the two most important entities in the younger Phills’ life.
After pondering for several months and sending notes back and forth to Bobby, II, they decided to create a logo that contained the foundation name, a brain, and several sports balls that he had played at one point in his life, including not only basketball, but tennis, billiards, and golf. Phills Sr. hired a professional graphics firm to help design the logo. Once the basic design of a circle with one side being a brain and the other side consisting of several sports balls all encircled with the Foundation’s name was decided and agreed on by the two Phills, they both felt that something was still missing. But what else could they add to the logo to truly paint the picture of how Bobby, II felt about balancing his two loves: academics and athletics. Suddenly, almost in unison, both said, “a balance!” Not just any balance, but an “OLD FASHION” scale type balance. One that you could put academics on one side and athletics on the other.
Thus, to complete the logo, it was decided to place an academic cap on the scale on the left side and a basketball on the right side with the globe-like circle on top. The cap symbolizes graduation or the completion of an academic milestone and the basketball symbolizes his love of sports. Together, they are in complete and proper balance, just as Bobby, II would have them. It is hoped that when one looks at the Foundation’s logo, they will not just see a basketball and a brain, but the relationship they have to everything else in the logo, for they all have real meaning. Collectively, they represent the ideals Bobby, II held in high esteem when he established the Bobby Phills Educational Awareness Foundation, Inc as its President until his parting of this world on January 12, 2000.
Though he is no longer with us, his spirit still lives in all of us through his deeds and belief in giving back to the communities from whence we come.
Bobby R. Phills, Sr.
President and CEO