By Kevin Vicroy
John Ellis made his third consecutive pro finals appearance at
the Laundry Land Pro-Am in Lincoln, Nebraska just before press time.
Heading into the season, Ellis had only one pro stop title to his
credit. But the new year started out just fine for the 5-foot-6
Californian as he took career wins #2 and #3, back-to-back, at the Ralph
Schomp Automotive Pro-Am in Denver on January 19 and the Columbus Pro-Am
the following weekend. RACQUETBALL spoke with John about his recent good
fortune on his return from Lincoln. |
ELLIS BREAKS INTO THE TOP THREE
RB: With three straight finals showings and two victories,
how do you account for your recent stellar play? Whats going on
with you?
Not a whole lot. Im pretty settled in my life, as far as
what Im doing these days. Im living in Stockton again
my hometown. I bought a house and Im around my closest friends.
Im working with my dad a little bit more seriously as far as
coming up with game plans for everybody. Getting in better shape
just putting the whole package together helped on this little
three-week run.
RB: What about your finals?
I dont want to be too surprised about them. Ive very
pleased, but I dont want to seem too surprised because this is
what Cliff and Sudsy are doing all the time. I want to be up there
with those guys and make it a three-way fight instead of a twosome. I
just have to try and make it so I get used to it. I expect to get (to
the finals) every time. I know there are a couple of other guys ranked
below me that are thinking the same way.
RB: You seem more reserved on the court, is that just the
kind of person you are?
Id say Im one of the more laid back guys on tour.
Pretty relaxed. I think people like to watch me play because Im
a shorter guy whos pretty built. Im not skinny or
anything. Im fast, I hit the ball pretty hard and I think that
intrigues people when you have a shorter guy doing that. I dont
mind that. I like playing in front of people so thats nice and I
dont go off the handle too often. I won the (IRT) Sportsmanship
Award last year. Its funny, but when I won it, I didnt
really care. But now, thats really become a big part of my game
to stay really relaxed, very controlled and not let past points matter
to me. The only thing that matters is the up-and-coming point. Now, Im
pretty proud (of the award). I think it has a direct influence on my
play.
RB: You work with kids at a lot of camps and clubs, do you
see yourself as a role model for racquetballs youth?
I never thought Id be asked that question. I dont
necessarily think that I should be considered (a role model) at all. I
think its the players responsibility to be professional,
look professional and to act professional at the tournament when youre
in your own setting like that. As far as a role model and all of that
stuff, I dont think so. What I do in my personal life is totally
personal. I think every kids parents . . . thats what theyre
there to do. To provide the role model, the rules and that sort of
stuff. If kids are going to look at me and say that he is very
controlled on the court, very relaxed and he doesnt go off the
handle and want to incorporate that into their games, then I think
thats a good idea.
RB: Can you give us a little insight into John Ellis?
Id say that what Im like on the court is pretty much
what Im all about. Right now, Id say that Im just
finding that out myself. Its all a learning process, even when
youre really good at a sport. Id say that its all
one big learning process. One thing that I learned at the beginning of
the season is that the best way Im going to succeed is to stay
under control out there. I dont think it has always happened,
but for the most part, its going to be happening like that
because I choose to have that be the situation.
RB: When youre facing the best, be it Sudsy, Swain or
whoever, what puts you over the top?
Well, this (winning) has just happened two times recently, so I
really cant say Im being consistent about it. My record in
finals is 3-12 or whatever it is. Right now, Im pretty strong
mentally. I would say that I have as much desire to win in the sport
right now as anyone. If thats being mentally strong, then Im
right there. But through the years, Id say that (mental
toughness) wasnt my strongest asset, maybe even the weaker part
of my game. This year has been different. It has a lot to do with my
dad (Dave Ellis) and it has a lot to do with being a little bit older.
I really want to make a living at this sport and dont want to
have to go back to college to find something else to do. I want to
play racquetball for a living and retire as a racquetball player and
have money for myself later in life.
RB: How much has your dad helped you this year?
We talk on the phone a lot. What were working on, big time,
is game plans for every player out there that I could play. Hes
a smart man and knows a ton about the sport more than I could
ever know at this point. Hes helping me come up with game plans
to attack every players game out there.
RB: What can we expect in the future from John Ellis?
Id say just a lot of semis and finals and good play. For
about another 10 years, a lot of being right there in every match in
every tournament. Somebody whos gonna beat me will have to play
well. Thats all I really want to ask of myself just to be
in every match, mentally and physically. To be honest with you, I
really dont care about being ranked #1. Thats not a goal
of mine. I dont want to say, Ive got to be ranked
number one. I want to win tournaments. I dont care if its
for $15,000 or $50,000. Its the idea of beating the best players
in the world. Beating the Cliffs, the Sudsys, the Andys
(Roberts) and the Jasons (Mannino). Just competing and playing
hard is what you can expect.
RB: Whats homelife like between stops?
Adam Karp lives with me, along with another guy I grew-up with. I
own the house and theyve got to pay me rent. So, of course, Adam
is my second favorite player on the tour right now. I want to see him
win as much as possible so he can pay me. And its nice to have
somebody to train with. Our New Years resolution was to become
totally shredded. Mine was to become shredded and have the body that I
want. His was to get bigger because hes already shredded. Were
both working out a lot here.
RB: You recently signed a contract with Pro Kennex through
the year 2000, can you give us any details?
Heres the thing, I think everybody should be giving
details. But Im not going to be the first one to say prices.
When, as a sport, the players start letting each other know what theyre
making . . . Its a cycle like in every other professional sport.
One person deserves this and that and another deserves something else.
(Disclosing details) has yet to happen and thats probably
because we dont have enough money in the sport yet. Lets
just say that Pro Kennex is taking care of me very fairly and Im
very happy with the contract I signed. Im most happy with the
products that they have now. I think Pro Kennex has the best racquet
(the Kinetic Diamond 15 g) out in racquetball right now. Im
totally satisfied with it and everything about them right now.
RB: Youre also sponsored by Courtesy Sports, right?
Im not truly sponsored by them, theyre just some
longtime friends in racquetball. They make a headband for me and do it
for a couple other guys. Yea, Im sponsored by them somewhat, but
basically I just want to see them do really well in the sport because
they are putting a lot back into it. So, whatever I can do to help
them I generally try to do. Other than that, Im looking for
sponsors. The good deal with Pro Kennex is that I dont have to
wear head-to-toe Pro Kennex. They allow me to go out there and try to
make a living for myself by getting other sponsors. I paid for my last
pair of shoes. Right now, I need a shoe company, a clothing company
and thats the stuff Im working on. I need the money, too.
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