His swimmers learn to manage their time between schoolwork and the pool. Many have earned athletic—and academic—scholarships to top universities such as Yale, Princeton, Duke, and the University of Pennsylvania, he says. Mr. Ellis has been recognized for his coaching. He received the Presidential Honor Award from the International Swimming Hall of Fame and the first Diversity Award from U.S. Swimming. Today, his swim team practices in a gleaming new competition pool at the Salvation Army Kroc Center in Philadelphia. He continues to teach people of all ages how to swim. “Learning to swim is important because two-thirds of the Earth is covered in water,” Mr. Ellis says. “If you ever are on a boat that is sinking, you will know how to swim.” He sees his swimmers as an inspiration to others. Many people have never watched a swim meet or top swimmers compete. They may be motivated to learn to swim and gain lifelong health benefits, he says. Swimming relieves stress, eases joint pain, and promotes overall fitness. Mr. Ellis says he likes the feeling of weightlessness in water. “It’s a sense of freedom,” he says, “of being somewhere else.” Still, despite his many successes, Mr. Ellis has yet to fulfill his longtime dream of seeing one of his swimmers make the U.S. Olympic team. He says he intends to see that happen. —By Healthy Bulldog staff AMY Northwest Middle School 7 Illustration by Tracy Tsui, AMY Northwest Healthy Bulldog