When he first walked on the court prior to his milestone 500th career win last Thursday, one of the first things that Phil Russell saw was a large sign with the number 500 written on it in orange and black staring him in the face across the court.
Following the game, Russell joked with members of the media about thinking it was a jinx just waiting to happen.
Turns out it was all just part of the celebratory night for Ogden's legendary girls basketball coach.
With the win in hand in the final seconds, the celebration began in earnest as the packed student section and numerous former players in attendance began chanting his name, setting off nearly an hour's worth of festivities, capped with Russell climbing a ladder to snip the last thread of the net.
There was cake, there were balloons and Russell was given a ceremonial plaque to commemorate the achievement.
To Russell, however, the brightest moment of the night was being able to celebrate it among four decades of friends and family.
"You can't do something like this without a lot of support from the community," Russell said. "I can't thank them enough for their support. They are the ones that made this possible."
Russell, who is also the school's athletic director, has also been Ogden's volleyball and softball coach, along with being an assistant to the football and baseball teams.
Although he didn't initially know what to expect as a then-27 year old taking over the Tigers' girls basketball program, he knows he made the right decision.
"When I first started (in 1973), I never expected to still be here coaching in 2010," Russell said. "If I had to choose between being the athletics director and still coaching, I'd choose to keep coaching. It's something that I love to do."
Ogden won its first state title in 1979, winning again in 1985 and 1988, before taking two of out three titles in 1994 and 1996. The Tigers have also won 10 league titles along the way, making him one of the most decorated coaches in Utah history.
"These records never stand forever; someone will break it," said Russell, pointing out that Bingham's Rand Rasmussen wasn't too far behind him. "Being the first one to get there is kind of special, but in the end it's still about the kids. They deserve the credit."
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