Possessing the ability to officiate and coach folkstyle at many different levels over the years, Ellis C. Swopes truly made his mark on the sport of wrestling.

 Ellis' interest in wrestling began when he went to see his cousins participate in the Illinois State Wrestling Championship in 1970. His cousins were a part of the State Wrestling Championship team at North Chicago in 1970, which included Leopolean Swopes, Bob Davis, Artis Frank, Danny Swopes, Clay Swopes, and Cletis Swopes. It was this family of wrestlers that inspired Ellis to get involved with the sport.

 Ellis first started wrestling while at South School Elementary and then continued on to Neal Middle School in 1975. By his 8th grade year, his middle school team won the Conference Champion in 1978. While at Neal, Ellis began practicing at North Chicago High School with his brother, who also wrestled.

 Ellis wrestled all 4 years while at North Chicago, taking 3rd place in the Ott Bay tournament in 1980. Later in College he participated on an intramural wrestling team. 

 During his high school career, he watched his father officiate wrestling and knew he wanted to do better.

 After returning from College, Ellis began his wrestling official career in 1993 for the Illinois Kids Wrestling Federation (IKWF)/USA Wrestling. Five years later in 1998, he joined the ranks of the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) Sports Official, National Federation High School (NFHS) Officials Association, and then became a member of Illinois Elementary School Association (IESA.) He then joined the Illinois Wrestling Official and Coaches Association (IWCOA) in 2008. Over his career, Ellis officiated numerous State and National Level Wrestling Championships throughout Illinois and Iowa.

 As an Educator, his instructional and behavioral leadership encouraged students to attend and participate in the classroom as well as on the mat. He helped students build their social skills and learn how to manage their behaviors with his vast knowledge and understanding of State, Local and Federal regulations and policies affecting special education. He also was an assistant coach at Carmel High School in Mundelein, Illinois for 4 years. He is further credited with starting up a wrestling team at Neal Math and Science Academy, which took conference titles in 2012 and 2013. Later, Ellis started working as a teacher at Jack Benny Middle School where he also coached for 2 years, one of which his team was conference champs. 

 During his officiating and coaching, Ellis was diagnosed with Diabetes and Limb Girdle Muscular Dystrophy. He learned to work through the pain and the loss in muscle in his shoulders and muscles surrounding his hips. Just as he does in the classroom with his students, he learned how to modify his wrestling official calls to include verbal scoring along with modified arm movements to communicate scoring and issues on the mat. He always made sure the students and wrestlers felt safe in any circumstances, whether in the classroom or on the wrestling mat, for any gender or disability. 

 Over the years Ellis has built long, lasting relationships with kids from the club level to high school.