Watkins-Ellis a Shining Example for Current Cougars
12/2/2015 12:00:00 AM | Cougar Pride
The University of Houston Department of Intercollegiate Athletics inspires excellence today while preparing CHAMPIONS FOR LIFE by fostering a culture, which challenges student-athletes to achieve their highest academic, athletic and personal aspirations. Throughout the 2015-16 athletic season, UHCougars.com will highlight Houston student-athletes, coaches and alumni who are committed to building CHAMPIONS FOR LIFE on the field, in the classroom and throughout the community. Today's CHAMPIONS FOR LIFE feature, written by Communications Assistant Sierra Henry, profiles Houston Women's Basketball alumna Sonya Watkins-Ellis.
HOUSTON - Twenty-nine years is enough time for someone to forget a familiar face, but nowhere near enough time to forget a basketball legend at the University of Houston. Sonya Watkins-Ellis was the first Cougar to earn the Southwest Conference Player of the Year honor, achieving the feat in 1985-1986, and to this day she ranks third all-time in program history with 1,752 career points.
That's only a couple of the many awards and records she set during her career with Houston Women's Basketball.
Many things have changed here at UH since she attended, Watkins-Ellis said, "like the short-shorts and the three-point shot - that was not in place." Many changes have also taken place in the life of Watkins-Ellis.
With the talent that Watkins-Ellis possessed, she received scholarship offers from multiple universities.
"But UH and the University of Michigan were at the top of my list," Watkins-Ellis said, as she reflects on her college decision.
When choosing between the two of these highly respected schools, curiosity weighed in heavily on her decision.
"When visiting UH, the coaches, players and administrators made me feel welcomed," Watkins-Ellis said. "This helped, because I was leaving Detroit and coming to Houston. It was like having another family away from home, my UH family,"
It is safe to say that Sonya came to Houston for school and fell in love with the city, because she has remained in Houston since she began school at UH in 1982.
She began her life with her late husband (Lee Ellis, 1959-1998), who she met in Houston, and they began a family. Together they had three children: Sherard, Marc Dante', and Fallon. She's since then remarried to Clifton Clark.
For Watkins-Ellis, a scholarship at UH wasn't just a chance to play basketball; in fact, her decision was a springboard to a successful career.
"Being a student-athlete at the university led to my interest in children and sports, which led me to a career path in the field of parks and recreation," Watkins-Ellis said.
She is currently the Supervisor for Permits and Reservations at the Houston Parks and Recreation department, which she has been with since 1988.
Nearly three decades have passed and Watkins-Ellis filled this time with many different job titles, from coaching basketball in the United States to playing basketball overseas to tax work.
Watkins-Ellis played professionally in Spain for two years after graduation before coaching high school girls' basketball at St. Agnes Academy for four years, from 1987-91 and spent time working with the Harris County Tax Assessor's Office. She continues to be active as a youth girls' basketball coach.
She gained lifelong friends, who she considers sisters, through bonding with teammates at the University of Houston.
"Among the teammates I remain close with to this day are Sylvia Owens, DeJuena (Carter) Chizer, Vickey Finch, Sharon Spillman, Monica Lamb, Bridgett Chaney-Ollie, and Charlotte Reescano," Watkins-Ellis said. "That is just a few of the many bonds I still have today."
Of all the accomplishments she has achieved, the one Watkins-Ellis is most proud of is "raising three wonderful children who were all student-athletes, and seeing all of them obtain their college degrees."
Looking back at her time as a Cougar, she is most proud of the team's 66-60 upset of No. 3 Louisiana Tech on Dec. 9, 1985.
Any university would be proud to claim Sonya Watkins-Ellis as an alumna, and fortunately she's a Cougar.
Watkins-Ellis had just a few words of encouragement for the current women's basketball squad.
"Be a student first, obtain your degree, embrace the opportunities you're afforded, and have fun," she said.
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40th ANNIVERSARY
The 2015-16 season is the 40th anniversary of Houston's first intercollegiate women's basketball team, the 1975-76 squad. Throughout the season, the Houston Athletics Communications office will look back on important moments and legendary figures in the history of Houston Women's Basketball, both on UHCougars.com and the team's official twitter account, @UHCougarWBB.
--UHCougars.com--