Phil was born on March 13, 1961, in Monticello, Iowa. He was the son of Fred and Joan Kauder. He was one of 10 children. His siblings are Amy, Kris, Kathy, Wendy, Tammy, Cindy, Andy, Fred, and Joseph. Phil graduated from Cascade High School in 1979. He graduated from the Loras College with a BA in Physical Education in 1984.
Phil’s high school accomplishments include earning four year letters in cross country, three letters in track & field and one letter in basketball while at Cascade High School & Cascade Aquin High School. He was a member of the 1975 Class C State Championship team from Cascade Aquin. In 1976 Cascade Aquin became Cascade High School. He was a member of three State top ten teams in cross country at Cascade High School and placed in the top 10 both his junior and senior years. Phil was a two-time place winner in track. He was 3rd in the Class B 2-mile run in 1978 with a time of 10:01 and in 1979 he was fifth in the Class A 3200 meter run in a time of 9:52. He also ran the 1600 meter run in 1979.
Phil started his college career at Westmar College but soon returned home and later enrolled at Loras College in Dubuque. He was a four year letter winner in cross country and track. He was a three-time National Qualifier in Cross Country. Phil was a two-time NAIA Indoor Track & Field All-American in the three mile run, placing 4th in 1983 (14:37) and 3rd in 1984 (14:16).
In the fall of 1985, Phil became the Activity Director and Boys Track & Field Coach at Cascade High School. During his time at Cascade he assisted IATC Hall of Fame Coach and committee member Bob Davidshofer in cross country. As the Boys Track Coach, Phil coached three of his younger brothers, Andy, Fred, and Joseph. Andy won the 1600 meter run his senior year and ran 9:36 for 3200 meters. He is now a very successful coach at Xavier High School winning the last two Class 3-A State Titles. He left Cascade High School in 1999, to take a job as the Director of Activities with the Iowa Department of Corrections in Anamosa.
Since 2005 Phil has been the head Cross Country Coach at Anamosa High School and last spring took over the girls track program as well. Honors he has received include induction into the Loras College Athletic Hall of Fame in 2004. In 1987, Phil won the Kansas City and Drake Relays Marathons. He holds the state records for Master Runners for 10-mile run (53:40), 20K (1:06.56), the ½ Marathon (1:12.56) and the Marathon (2:34.39).
He is a member of the Fitness Sports racing team. He was awarded the Dan McClimon Award in 1984. Phil has contributed to the sports of cross country and track as an official as well as a coach. He is a member of the IATO. He has been a starter for both cross country and track & field meets in the cascade area. He has volunteered his time to serve as the bowling coach at Cascade High School from 1985 – 1993. He has assisted with the Cascade Canter Road Race since 2002. Phil and his wife Karen are the parents of daughter Mariah and son Preston. Mariah ran as a 7th grader for Coach Davidshofer. She finished 2nd in the small school division of the IATC Statewide Cross Country Meet in 2007.