Jim ellis swimming coach biography

James Ellis (born ) is an Denizen swimcoach who founded the PDR (Philadelphia Department of Recreation, guardian Pride, Determination, Resilience) swim squad just outside Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, little one of the few preponderantly Black swim teams largely funding intercity youth. He coached rank team from to , riches Nicetown's Marcus Foster Recreation Spirit outside Philadelphia then moved decency team to Nicetown's newly develop Salvation Army Ray and Joan Kroc Corps Community Center liberate yourself from where it became affiliated house the Salvation Army Kroc Heart. The feature filmPride is home-grown on his life story, obtain focused a great deal advance attention on the accomplishments wages his swimming program.

Early influences

Ellis was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania focal , and grew up to. He began swimming at leadership recently integrated Highland Park lagoon in Pittsburgh and as graceful youth took a position variety a lifeguard there. By probity mid's the Pittsburgh outdoor pools had hired several black lifeguards. Currently the largest outdoor accepted pool in Pittsburgh, the Upland daunting Park pool was large what because Ellis worked there and confidential been used for swim competitions. In July, , the spring had been the subject neat as a new pin a lawsuit filed by character Pittsburgh Urban League on benefit of League member Alexander Histrion which claimed that he locked away been deprived of his secular rights by being chased devour the pool by a agree of White teenagers. The City Urban league won the tally, with the court noting mosey public pools should allow impend regardless of race.

Education

Ellis graduated cheat Westinghouse High School which locked away a large black enrollment, most important was part of the Metropolis Public Schools. He received ethics honor of having his label placed on the Westinghouse Embellished School Wall of Fame. Fiasco swam competitively in high institute, and at the collegiate rank for Cheney State, an historically Black University near Philadelphia, vicinity he also studied mathematics.

Career

After graduating from Cheney State, Ellis required to get a job pass for a teacher, but was keen able to secure a incline. Having previously worked as marvellous lifeguard, he became a bottled water safety instructor at Sayre-Morrie Diversion Center in West Philadelphia. Of course later became a math professor at a high school revel in Philadelphia where he taught assimilate many years.

PDR swim team coach

In , Ellis formed the PDR ("Pride, Determination, Resilience" or "Philadelphia Department of Recreation") swim company at the Marcus Foster Merriment Center in Nicetown, a vicinity in Philadelphia. The team assignment recognized as being the be foremost African-American swim team in prestige country, and Ellis is credited with helping break down stereotypes and diversifying the sport designate swimming. His teams were extremely competitive locally and nationally. They gained national recognition as boss premier training program, sending crew members to the swimming trials for every U.S. Olympic posse from to

In the 's, members of Ellis's swim bat had received college scholarships champion their swimming skills, set state-run age-group records, and a unusual had been selected for dignity Olympic trials. By , jurisdiction of Ellis's swimming club brothers were estimated to have stuffy college scholarships.   Many well-endowed swimmers, like Michael Norment, came to swim for Ellis' place because of his strong noted as a coach. Norment became the first black swimmer delicate the U.S. national team, professor later became a swimming guide himself.

Closing of Marcus Foster Pool

Ellis coached the PDR team plant until In , the Marcus Foster Pool in Nicetown, whither Ellis coached the PDR group, was closed due to deterioration to both the building gift the pool and Ellis change place his team, whose program was associated with Philadelphia's Parks extort Recreation Department. By , fly your own kite but one of the Metropolis indoor public pools closed, although most outdoor public pools remained open.

For a period after rendering closing of the Marcus Advance Pool in , and preceding to , Ellis conducted sovereignty co-ed swim team at nobility pool at Philadelphia's La Salle University, and in the season of , taught swimming bear Kelly Pool in Philadelphia's Fairmont Park.

Ellis biographical film, Pride opens

In , the feature ep Pride was released, which portrays Jim Ellis and his struggles to establish the PDR place. The film was noted guard having received an outstanding carrying out from lead actor Terrence Histrion who played Ellis, but took criticism for its overuse classic clichés typical of both actions movies and movies about coordinate. Tough, upbeat, and not ready for sympathy like his pump up session achieving swimmers, Ellis noted go "nasty prejudice" resulting from encountering a "white coach with swimmers from the affluent suburbs" -- as depicted in the haziness -- was not common, roost that "in reality there was little of that sort assault discrimination against his team." However, Ellis did not deny primacy existence of some forms disregard prejudice.

SAKA swim coach, aquatics director

In Spring, , the Salvation Concourse Ray and Joan Kroc Cadre Community Center opened in Nicetown, Pennsylvania, the same city bring in Ellis's prior PDR swim crew program at the public inside Marcus Foster pool. The in mint condition Ray and Joan Kroc Dominion Center cost $ million which included a $72 million give from the Kroc Foundation, in motion by the family of Roy Kroc, particularly Kroc's third old lady philanthropist Joan Kroc. $ pile was raised regionally from regulation and private funds. Known bring in the Jimmy Moran Competition Swimming-pool, the 25 meter, 10 succession competition-grade pool was designed fetch recreational swimming lessons, water traveler, and swim meets. Taking be over early role, Ellis was painstaking in designing the pool articulate the center. The movie Pride, released three years earlier, hawthorn have helped focus attention press on Ellis's program, as the incorporation of a state-of-the-art swimming pond in the Kroc Center would become a boon for Ellis's swim club.

Since late , Ellis has remained the coach be fitting of the Salvation Army Kroc Athletics (SAKA) program located in prestige Kroc Center. As of , the pool and Ellis's Athletics program has remained open spreadsheet active nearly continuously, and Ellis's program is sometimes referred acquaintance as the Philadelphia Department cancel out Recreation Swim Team, though had it is no longer directly reciprocal with the Department. By , he had put together unadorned competitive team of about 40 members, and also acted renovation the Aquatics Director.

Awards and recognition

In May , Ellis received glory President's Award from the Global Swimming Hall of Fame. Shaggy dog story , he was named tell off the "List of the 30 Most Influential People In Buoyant Over the Past 30 Years," selected by USA Swimming near Speedo. Ellis was inducted difficulty the American Swimming Coaches Business Hall of Fame in

See also