Fort Walton Beach High School senior Phillip Dillard signed to play football at the United States Naval Academy during a ceremony Wednesday, marking the next step in his athletic career.

During the emotional ceremony, Dillard expressed gratitude to his coaches, particularly highlighting Coach Ryan Vandervort’s role in his recruitment. “Coach Ryan Vandervort is a big deal. He’s our PR guy. He knows all the recruiters and he’s the one who got me the offer that I had,” Dillard said.

Dillard, who played left tackle for Fort Walton Beach and will transition to interior offensive lineman at Navy, transferred from Gulf Breeze High School during his sophomore year.

• “Coach Clayton has been my guy since freshman year when I was walking out with the freshman team and he told me to go put my shoes back on and join varsity,” Dillard said, crediting his coaches for his development and recruitment.

Fort Walton Beach head coach Bobby Clayton praised Dillard’s character and work ethic. “This kid is going to do everything you ask him to do. I’m not going to hear a whole lot from him, but he’s going to work hard. Probably one of the strongest kids I’ve ever had the privilege of coaching,” Clayton said.

The signing represents more than just an athletic commitment, as Clayton noted. “This is a full time commitment of one of our armed forces,” he said. “It’s not easy to get into one of the service academies.”

• When asked what he’ll miss most about his time at Fort Walton Beach, Dillard’s answer was immediate: “The people. Time moves quickly. I feel like I just got here.”

Dillard emphasized the family atmosphere he experienced at Fort Walton Beach. “The biggest reason I play football would be because of the brothers and the people I have inside of this team,” he said. “It’s not just on the football field. We do stuff outside of school and I’ve practiced with these guys outside of practice.”

Looking ahead to his career at Navy, Dillard expressed enthusiasm about new opportunities. “I’m happy to be able to continue putting the shoulder pads on. I’m happy to be able to be a part of another family,” he said. “I’m mostly excited for the new connections that I’ll make and add on more to the family.”