Kevin Ellis already has twice as many competitive starts this year as he did in his first three professional seasons. But for the Homegrown fullback, his emergence as manager Peter Vermes' first choice in the absence of the injured Chance Myers isn't so much a destination as a new set of challenges to be met as he develops.
Ellis has started four of Sporting's five matches this year, two each in MLS and CONCACAF Champions League play. And while he had his ups and downs in the latter competition, manager Peter Vermes has been pleased with much of Ellis' play so far.
“He definitely is probably the fittest he's been since he's been here,” Vermes told reporters after Tuesday's training session. “The other piece is now that he's getting his opportunities, he's realizing that he'd better stay focused to it. It's hard to get there. It's another thing to stay there.”
Ellis' best moment so far came in the home leg of the CCL quarterfinals, when he scored the only goal in Sporting's 1-0 win over Mexico's Cruz Azul. But in the second leg a week later, Sporting's outside defenders had a rough night as the Liga MX side cruised to a 5-1 match win and advanced to the semis on a 5-2 aggregate.
That's all part of the development process, Vermes said, especially for a player who made just two competitive starts last year and none in the two seasons before that.
“I think he's done a serviceable job,” he said. “I really do. There's still little nuances here and there that he has to pick up and has to get, little things over the course of the game – and then from game to game – that you have to start getting into your routine. Those are just little things he needs to pick up, and it's not going to happen after four games.”
Still, Ellis is glad for the opportunity to start as Myers continues to recover from a preseason groin strain.
“I think that's every player's goal, to start and play on a regular basis,” he said Tuesday. “The first five games, playing four of them, it feels pretty good.”
And despite his limited minutes in his first three seasons, Ellis said that the time provided a valuable learning experience that's now beginning to pay off.
“It's kind of been an easier transition, I would say, because I've been here for four years,” he said. “So I know what's expected in the position, and I've been learning from watching Chance for those four years.”
Perseverance was another lesson learned over that time, he said.
“Anybody would get a little discouraged, but I have my family and friends and people who were saying 'Keep going,'” he said. “And I have a huge faith in God, so that kept me going, knowing that one day I'd be playing. And it feels good that I went through the ups and downs in my career to get to this point.”
