Player Spotlight: Julius Ellison
12 goals in 7 games, Julius has led his team in scoring this season, he has yet to miss a training session, and prides himself in learning something new every day.
Julius Ellison | Forward | 2000 Gold
Q & A ON A SUCCESSFUL SEASON SO FAR
Q: What do you think is the most important factor that has allowed you to excel at scoring goals this season?
First of all thank you so much for selecting me (as WFC Rangers Spotlight Player of the Month). It’s an honor! I would say that the factor that has allowed me to score goals this season is listening to my coach. Coach Ryan has taught me a different approach to playing the 9. It took a couple of practices to get the hang of it, but it definitely shows now.
Q: What is your proudest moment from the season so far?
My proudest moment of the season so far is when I scored a hat-trick in our second game. All three of my goals were quality and built up well by our entire team.
Q: Your team seems to be dominant in your division this year, what sets your team apart from the rest?
The difference between our team and the rest of the division is that to put it simply, we work harder. We are always even with or more physical with our opponents so far and we have outworked every team in possession by a long shot.
Q: Do you have any goals set for the remainder of the season?
Our team’s goals for the rest of the season is to win the league and consistently get better every game we play.
Q: I hear you have an almost spotless training attendance record. Why do you value making it out to every training?
Coming to every practice is important for me because personally, I need to constantly get touches on the ball to be the best player I can be. Almost every practice I learn something new about my position and the game itself. My mindset for practice is to work smart and have an open mind to new ideas.
Q: Looking back on your career with Rangers, what do you cherish most about the experience?
The one thing that I love most about my rangers experience is that I have had the chance to play with my closest friends and teammates for 8+ years.
Coach Ryan on Julius and his Boys 2000 Gold team:
“The team has been fantastic this season. Julius is surrounded by very good players who are able to put him in positions to score. We always talk about the importance of teamwork, and there are no selfish players in the squad. Everybody is pleased that Julius is scoring so many goals, but we know it’s all about the team and that has been a huge key to our success through the first half of the season.
“Julius’ movement has improved so much, he is taking up better positions in the final third, and his confidence is growing with each goal. We knew he had the technical and physical attributes to be effective in the position, so it was about teaching him the more intricate details of the position and allowing him to express himself in and around the box.
“He is a very hard worker, and he pays attention to the little details that we talk about. How to find that half yard, how to create space inside the box, and then having the composure and understanding to execute the right type of finish in any given situation.”
