Since arriving in the United States from Portsmouth, England, at the age of 15, Jill Ellis and the entire Ellis family have been all about moving the game forward in this country.

So it’s only appropriate that Ellis, daughter of legendary soccer coach John Ellis, and US Soccer’s new Director of Development, overseeing the U.S. U-17, U-15 and U-14 Women’s National Team programs, will be a featured clinician at the 201 NSCAA Convention in Kansas City, Mo., January 11-15.

The title of her Convention session is appropriate – "Moving Our Game Forward: The U. S. Women's National Team Program's Role in Player Development."

Ellis, who coached the UCLA women’s team for 12 seasons, will co-present the session with April Heinrichs, technical director of the US Women's National Team, on Friday, Jan. 13,  at 1 pm at the Kansas City Convention Center.

Simply put, moving the game forward is in her DNA.

Her father, John, is a former assistant coach with the U.S. Women's National Team and has directed the Soccer Academy in Manassas, Va., since 1984. Before coming to the United Sates, he was a longtime soccer ambassador for the British government, helping create soccer programs worldwide. He also served as head coach for the Trinidad and Tobago National Team. John Ellis received the NSCAA’s Youth Long-Term Service Award (now known as the Charlotte Moran Award) in 2000.

Meanwhile, Ellis' brother, Paul, also is a soccer coach. In 1998, he was head coach for the US Youth Soccer Region I U-17 team.  A former assistant coach at George Mason University, he currently works full-time with his father at the Soccer Academy.

No one was surprised when Jill could not stay away from a soccer ball.

After an extremely successful youth playing career – she led Virginia’s Braddock Road Club to the USYS Under-19 national championship – Ellis played at the College of William & Mary from 1984-87, earning third-team All-America honors in 1987. She also was a member of the Intercollegiate Soccer Association of America Senior Recognition Team in 1987 and earned her bachelor of arts degree in English literature and composition.

Ellis never left the game, choosing to join the college ranks as assistant coach at NC State (1988-90), Maryland (1994-96) and Virginia for one year (1997). She helped the Wolfpack secure the 1988 Atlantic Coast Conference title and an NCAA Final Four appearance and the Terrapins to the 1995 NCAA quarterfinals.

In 1997 Ellis accepted her first head coaching position when she took over the University of Illinois women’s team.  Within two years she had led the Illini to its first Big Ten Tournament berth, an achievement that put her on the national radar,  prompting Westwood to come calling.

During her 12 seasons at UCLA, Ellis transformed the Bruins into one of the premier programs in the nation, making UCLA a perpetual contender for the national title. She led the Bruins to eight College Cup appearances, including seven in a row from 2003-09, and advanced the team three times to the championship match (2000, 2004 and 2005).

A master recruiter at UCLA, Ellis attracted players from throughout the country and the world. That led to a 229-45-14 record at Westwood and the 2000 NSCAA National Coach of the Year award.

While keeping UCLA at the top of the national polls, Ellis also excelled at the international level, serving as the assistant coach for the gold-medal-winning U.S. team at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. She also enjoyed several successful coaching stints with the U-20 and U-21 U.S. Youth National Teams, leading the U-21s to Nordic Cup titles in 2000 and 2005 and the U-20s to a CONCACAF championship in 2010.

It was, indeed, her entire body of work that led to her new position as US Soccer’s Director of Development for the Women’s National Team programs.

She and Heinrichs, will share with fellow NSCAA member coaches their vision in developing players for the highest level at this year’s NSCAA Convention.

To learn a little bit more about Ellis and her thoughts on the US Women’s National Team program click here.

Learn more about other coaches conducting sessions in Kansas City including: Tom Byer, Jim Cassell, Mike Curry, Theresa Echtermeyer, Mark Verstegen, Schellas Hyndman, Vanessa Martinez Lagunas, Kevin McGreskin, Tom Sermanni, Sam Snow, Taylor Twellman, Peter Vermes, Frank Wormuth and Eric Wynalda.  

Note: This week is your last chance to register early and save $100 on the 2012 NSCAA Convention in Kansas City. Early registration closes on midnight PT on Sunday, Dec. 18. Take advantage of Early Registration and get signed up today.

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