Phillip Christmas was hired as an assistant cycling coach by Tim Hall on Sept. 1, 2021. Christmas comes to Banner Elk from Bowling Green, Kentucky where he competed in mountain biking and road racing at Lindsey Wilson College, a rival in the SECCC conference, while also achieving his Bachelor's degree in Biology.
 
"Phillip brings a lot of collegiate experience to the table having raced nationals multiple times, so he will relate well to our athletes striving to be their best," said Hall. "He is a good communicator with a passion for helping others improve. I am eager to work alongside him to get out team back on the podium."

Before coming to join the Lees-McRae coaching staff, Christmas served as a health environmentalist with the Barren River District Health Department and a water quality technician with the Warren County Water District in Bowling Green. In addition to his work within his degree field, Christmas also was the Head Mountain Bike Camp Instructor at the Leadership Academy, LLC in Nashville, Tennessee. His main responsibilities included developing weekly event schedules, designing and leading skill activities, and overall communication with campers and parents.
 
"I am very excited to be a part of Lees-McRae's Cycling Team," said Christmas. "Working with highly motivated and talented cyclists is a passion of mine and I cannot wait to start training with everyone."