Phillip Craig Ziglar, 74, of Orlando, Florida, passed away on February 11, 2026, surrounded by the family and friends he loved so deeply.

Phil was born on April 13, 1951, in Panama City Beach, Florida. After a brief time living with his family in Casablanca, Morocco, they settled in Orlando in 1956—the city and community he would dedicate his life to serving.

He attended Conway Elementary, Cherokee Junior High School, and William R. Boone High School, where he played football and graduated in 1969. He continued his football career at Tennessee Tech University, followed by a stint with the Calgary Stampeders. Phil later returned to Tennessee and graduated from Maryville College before coming back home to Orlando.

Phil began his coaching career in 1976 as an assistant at Colonial High School before moving to Oak Ridge High School. From 1987 to 1989, he coached at Dr. Phillips High School, helping lead the very first football team at the newly opened school.

In 1990, he returned to his alma mater, Boone High School, to serve as head football coach—a role he held for 23 years, from 1990 to 2012. During his tenure, he became the winningest football coach in Boone history and transformed the program into a perennial contender. He led the Braves to multiple district championships, three regional titles, and Boone’s only state championship appearance in 2007, finishing 14–1 as state runner-up. That remarkable 2007 state title run drew more than 20,000 fans to the Citrus Bowl, marking the largest local high school championship attendance in Orlando history. His impact on the program and the community earned him induction into both the Boone High School Athletic Hall of Fame and the Florida Athletic Coaches Association Hall of Fame.

From 2012 to 2018, he served as head coach at Hagerty High School, continuing to mentor and challenge young athletes with the same high standards and unwavering commitment that defined his career. Though he officially retired in 2018 after more than four decades of coaching and teaching, coaching was never simply a job. He later returned to the sidelines as an assistant coach at Timber Creek High School because he could not stay away from the game—or from the players he cared so deeply about.

Phil was known for his love of football, but even more for his dedication to the young people he coached. He believed that wins mattered, but character mattered more. He taught resilience, discipline, and the importance of showing up—especially after a loss. Generations of players carry his lessons with them far beyond the field.

Outside of football, Phil lived fully. He loved fishing, sharing tall tales that grew just a little with each retelling, and spending time with his family and friends. He and Cathy retired to the Port Orange area, where they enjoyed being close to the water and watching the sunrise from their deck. He cherished family time, his daily phone calls with his sister, Friday night celebrations after games, and relaxing on the couch with his two dogs and a good Western. Phil was a proud Mason and a Shriner, and he deeply valued the brotherhood and service they represented. He was also known to surprise people with his skills on the dance floor, where he moved with the same confidence he brought to the sidelines.

When Phil turned sixty, he fulfilled a longtime dream by purchasing a bright yellow Corvette. He could often be spotted cruising around town, windows down, blasting Earth, Wind & Fire, and enjoying the Florida sunshine—a reflection of his love for life.

He is survived by his father, Oliver Ziglar (Jeanine); his beloved wife, Cathy; his daughters, Stephanie (Carl Craig), Bess Newton (Carrie Myers), and Claire Newton; his sons, Heath and Travis Newton (Alyssa); his grandchildren, Kathryn, Aiden, Karleigh, Joshua, Lydia, Nora, Gracen, and Henry; and his sister, Paula Graf (Dana).

He was preceded in death by his mother, Lois Ziglar; his sister, Peggy; and his brother, David.

Coach Ziglar’s legacy is measured not only in victories and accolades, but in the lives he shaped, the standards he set, and the loyalty he showed to his family, friends, players, and community. His influence will continue to echo on fields, in classrooms, throughout Orlando, and beyond for generations to come.

Phil once said, “Your headstone only holds about a foot, foot and a half of space to say something. What you want it to say is that he was a good man, a good husband, a good father, and a good family man.”

All of those things are true.

A celebration of life will be announced in the near future and held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations be made to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Florida in honor of Phil’s lifelong commitment to supporting young people.