USA Field Hockey today named Jack Kelly, assistant field hockey coach at Westport’s Staples High School, “Volunteer Coach of the Year.”
Jack Kelly: honored by USA Field Hockey. Contributed photo
Kelly, 81, was informed of the award at a luncheon in his honor.
The USA Field Hockey honorees will now join selections from other Olympic sport governing bodies as nominees for the U. S. Olympic Committee’s Coaches of the Year to be announced later this spring.
As a volunteer assistant coach at Staples, Kelly provides head coach Ralph Unker and the Lady Wreckers everything from stick skills and defensive insight to stick repair and Band-Aids. And it is all done with his signature patience, kindness and vitality, the award announcement said.
“Jack brings qualities to the field unique unto himself,” said Kyle Donovan, president of the Westport Field Hockey Association. “He brings depth of experience, a global perspective and a truly pure and honest approach to the game as well as a work ethic second to none.”
With Kelly as a volunteer assistant, Staples finished the 2006 season with a 10-7-1 record and qualified for the CIAC Class L State Tournament.
During the season, he helped coach two Staples players to All-Fairfield County Interscholastic Athletic Conference honors in Brooke Donovan and Jocie Horelik. Donovan also earned Connecticut High School Coaches Association All-State second team honors.
The retired Navy lieutenant began playing field hockey in Rye, N.Y., at the age of 14. He later helped found the Privateers international touring field hockey team that originated with members of the 1956 U.S . Olympic team.
The team served to develop the sport worldwide and provided Kelly with the opportunity to compete internationally in places such as Belgium, England, Egypt, France, Morocco, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland and Trinidad & Tobago.
Kelly last appeared with the Privateers at the 1998 National Hockey Festival where the team won the Veteran’s Division title. He scored a goal in his final game at the age of 73.
In addition to his duties with the Staples team, Kelly serves as a volunteer at the Pequot Library in Fairfield and on the beautification committee of the Westport Garden Club.
But it is the love of the sport of field hockey that puts Kelly on the sidelines at every Staples practice and game since 1994. Like the players he coaches, he continues to strive for improvement by attending clinics in the off season and working at the indoor tournament at Staples.
“I’m paying back the sport,” Kelly often says of his continued involvement in field hockey. “It gave me a lot.”
Congratulations to Jack Kelly! I have two daughters who have both benefited from Jack’s “signature patience, kindness and vitality.” Jack is a wonderful mentor and friend to all of the girls and their parents.