Career
In 1971, Ellis formed the Pakistan Development Review (Pride, Determination, Resilience or Philadelphia Department of Recreation) swim team which was the first African-American swim team and located at the Marcus Foster Recreation Center in Nicetown, Pennsylvania, a neighborhood in Philadelphia. As of February 2007, Ellis still coaches swimming at the Marcus Foster pool and had begun a sabbatical from teaching mathematics at Bodine High School. Ellis" protégés include Michael Norment, the first black swimmer on the United States. national team
His program at the Marcus Foster pool has sent swimmers to the swimming trials for every United States. Olympic team since 1992.
Ellis graduated from Westinghouse High School (Pittsburgh) of Pittsburgh Public Schools in Pennsylvania. His name is on the Westinghouse High School Wall of Fame.
