Dugga Boy’s John Michael Phillips wins the Gov Cup’s 2024 Mate of the Year Award
The following was originally presented as a speech during the 2024 South Carolina Governor’s Cup Billfishing Series Awards Reception held on the evening of September 27, 2024 at Founder’s Hall at Charles Towne Landing.
The Mate of the Year Award, which comes with a prize sponsored by Palmetto State Armory, recognizes exceptional mates who leave a lasting impression on their peers, as well as captains, owners, and tournament staff. The hardworking men and women we see in the cockpit are critical cornerstones in our sport fishing community. Their preparation and skills serve as the bedrock of any stellar fishing performance.
Recipients of the Mate of the Year Award don’t just showcase integrity, sportsmanship, reliability, leadership, and skill. They’re also active members of the community, setting an example for up-and-coming mates still learning the ropes.
This year’s recipient is the kind of person who embodies those very attributes, whether in a tournament or simply sitting back at the dock. He’s charming, professional, polite, welcoming and friendly. No matter how busy he may be while rigging baits or putting in the work to keep a cockpit running smoothly, he is the first to pause and offer a passerby a much-needed water or a helping hand.
Although others may act as if their cup is already full, this year’s recipient is eager to learn, readily open to critique and growth. And while he’s committed to improving his own skills, he still carves out the time to share his knowledge and expertise with others. This year he mentored two young mates just getting started in the sport, taking the time to carefully and patiently teach them the skills they’ll need to be successful in this industry.
He’s also always happy to offer support and guidance to anglers as they fight a first fish or try something new. He’s a constant source of encouragement and positive energy in the cockpit. Even while actively watching the spread, he checks in on everybody to not only ensure they are having a good time, but to also boost morale when its needed most. He’s the first to lift others up in the wake of a mistake, and the first to wholeheartedly celebrate them when they succeed.
While fishing this year’s Series with a relatively new program, he helped his team release a total of 6 blue marlin and 13 sailfish, finishing the season in 5th place overall.
Since he wholly embodies what it means to be an exceptional mate, we are thrilled to announce that the 2024 Mate of the Year is Dugga Boy’s John Michael Phillips.
John Michael is currently on his honeymoon with his new bride, Lauren, who also happens to be a formidable Series angler. So, we’ve asked Capt. Bobby Garmany to come up and accept this award on his mate’s behalf.
Congratulations to John Michael Phillips!
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