Coach Wayne Ellis to retire from coaching baseball

After 27 remarkable seasons, Poly Varsity baseball coach Wayne Ellis has decided to retire from coaching baseball at Poly. Originally a basketball coach at Marshall Fundamental, Coach Ellis came to Poly in 1987, when his brother, Chuck Ellis, who then was as Poly’s athletic director, hired him to take over the baseball program. “Baseball was my first love and passion,” Ellis said when reflecting on his career.

It would prove to be one of the best hires in Poly’s history, as the baseball program has seen unprecedented success, winning the Prep League championship 25 out of Ellis’ 27 seasons and a state-record 19 years in row.

 

The humble man that he is, Ellis doesn’t attribute the success to his coaching—instead, he describes his career as one of luck in having talented players year in and year out. “The kids who showed up for practice are the ones we’ve gone with, and it turned out that they played baseball the right way,” he explained.

 

More than any record or championship, Coach Ellis’ career has focused most on the players he’s coached. If asked, he cites as his biggest accomplishment the fact that all but two of his players have been part of a Prep League championship teams. His impact on his players can be seen all the way to Major League Baseball, as former Poly Panther and current Toronto Blue Jay Rob Rasmussen '07 shared, “A lot of quality baseball players and a lot of quality teams have come out of Poly during Coach Ellis' tenure, and he deserves much of the credit for that. His passion for the game allows him to make the game fun for his players and has truly helped to grow the love for the game at Poly during his time. I’m very happy and proud to say that I played for Wayne and that I was able to help continue the winning tradition that he started.”

Coach Ellis finishes his career with a record of 470-143-4 (77 percent), a 252-36 record at home, 25 Prep League titles, the 2011 CIF-SS Division 6 championship, and the 2011 CIF-SS Division 6 Coach of the Year. Coach Ellis will continue to be a part of the physical education program at Poly.