Unlike many of his fellow seniors, the three-sport varsity athlete is heading off to West Point next June, knowing not only where he will study, but what: human geography. He will study how the various patterns of human behavior shape and alter the earth. He’s done a bit of shaping of his own.
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“He’s a really great kid in every possible way,” says Bruce Porter, who worked with Ellis in the Rotary Club’s Stock Portfolio Game offered to schools to teach students about the stock market. “He’s just the kind of kid West Point wants. He’s well-rounded athletically, scholastically and ethically.”
Students, working in groups of three or four, are given an imaginary $5,000 and instructions on how to trade. To make it realistic, a “fee” is charged for transactions. The team with the highest portfolio value at the end of the game wins. Casey prevailed.
“He’s a really bright kid,” says Porter. “He is able to do research effectively and thoroughly.” It is a trait Ellis uses to his advantage in sports, as well.
“He always tries to make things harder for himself than they need to be,” says coach Brian Wallace, who admires Ellis’ work ethic. “He likes to be in shape, and he likes challenges.”
He especially likes the challenge of wrestling. “Of my sports, it’s my favorite,” he says while slightly winded from sprinting back and forth across the gym. “I’m best at it, and I really like the individual sport aspect.” Ellis smiles. “You get out as much as you put in.” He hopes to wrestle for the Army, or maybe be a part of the skydiving team.
No, he hasn’t tried that yet, he admits. But believes he has all the qualifications. He took gymnastic classes at UCSB, and thinks what he learned there helps him in his other sports.
“Gymnastics really teaches you body awareness,” he says, glancing ever so slightly away. It was a program where most of the participants were girls, he confesses. But the balance and arm strength he gained are assets he often draws on.
He will be the first in his family to join the military, and his family is warming up what, at first, was a bit of a scary idea. “I’m really excited,” Ellis says. “I’m looking forward to it a lot.”
He is especially looking forward to keeping the balance the between academics and athleticism he has now. “Keeping in good physical shape helps keep your mind focused,” he says. For Ellis, it is all about focus.
“He is very intuitive and precise,” says Porter, noting that when he was working with Ellis the student picked better stocks than he did. “I’ll probably be working for him someday.”
But for the moment, Ellis is just concentrating on continuing to meet and expand his own personal best.