BOSTON – Kevin Kelly held down second base during one of the most successful four-year stretches in Suffolk baseball history (2000-03). Two years after graduating in 2003, the former Suffolk captain returned to the Rams in a new role, assistant coach.
A professional passion was formed for Kelly while on Cary McConnell’s staff and the former Suffolk team captain went on to build an extensive resume at New England perennial powerhouse UMass Boston then his first head coaching role at Rutgers Newark.
Now, the Suffolk Hall of Famer will face his alma mater on the diamond every season in his newest role, head coach of Commonwealth Coast Conference member Roger Williams.
A month after being named the Hawks’ head coach, Kelly caught up with GoSuffolkRams.com for a Q&A.
Describe your Suffolk career.
My baseball career at Suffolk was great. We had a tremendous amount of success! I played baseball at Suffolk from 2000-2003 and was named captain in 2003 my senior year. During my time at Suffolk, we won a lot of baseball games including two GNAC Championships (2000 & 2002), and one ECAC Championship (2000). Each year we had different challenges and teammates, however, nothing changed. We worked hard on the field, the weight room and in the classroom. We had a ton of team chemistry, due to the long van rides to Strike One, and our homefield, which was in Melrose, Mass., but I really think that’s why we had the success we had. You can’t teach or coach chemistry, but the more you are around your teammates, the more camaraderie you build. Coach McConnell was a coach that developed individual relationships with each one of his players and it is why I loved to play for him. He truly cared about you on and off the field and you trusted everything he did and asked of you. He is the best coach I ever played for. To this day if he asked me to run through a wall for him I would do it without hesitation.
Since Suffolk, you’ve moved into the work field. Could you describe your current occupation, what company you work for and the role you have?
My current occupation is what I love the most in this world beside my family; I am the head baseball coach for Roger Williams University and I absolutely love what I do. I can honestly say since I have become a head coach, I haven’t worked a single day. I get to coach a game and get paid for it! I’m not sure there is anything better than that. Do I put in long daily hours, over 40 hours a week, work the weekends, and holidays? Yup, but it’s not considered work if you love what you do and your happy when you’re doing it. I’m grateful for the position I have and wouldn’t change anything.
How did you land your job?
Well, it all started back in 2005, when Coach McConnell gave me an opportunity to work under him as an assistant coach. From there I knew baseball was what I wanted to do the rest of my life. I eventually moved on to UMass Boston and became an Assistant Coach for Brendan Egyabroat in 2010.
In 2015, I was promoted to Associate Head Baseball Coach at UMass Boston which was huge for my resume. In 2018, I was named Head Baseball Coach at Rutgers University - Newark, where I was for two years.
In August of 2020, I applied for the head baseball coach job at Roger Williams University. A move that would bring me back to New England and most importantly be closer to my family. On December 2, 2020, I was named Head Baseball Coach at Roger Williams University.
Is this your dream job?
This is my dream job!! I get to coach a game I loved and played my entire life. What could be better than that?
Describe your typical work day.
I am the type of person who is big on routines. I think if you develop routines your day is much easier to navigate. So, my workdays are pretty similar, depending on the time of year. Meaning in season or in the off season.
A typical workday for me begins at 8:00 – 8:30 a.m. Right when I get into the office, I check my voice messages and emails and spend about an hour or however long it takes to respond to every phone call and email I received. After I am done with responding to everyone I engage in some sort of professional development for an hour or so. Biggest thing about my job is its always evolving, so as a coach you have to evolve with times and be up on the latest technology or new ways of thinking. Usually around 11:30 a.m. I will make some phone calls to coaches in the area, to maintain or develop relationships. At this point it is around lunch time so I will grab some lunch and a coffee. After lunch, if in season, we have practice. If we are out of season, then I begin to start attacking my to-do list for the upcoming season. That could be anything from fundraising, scheduling games, reviewing charts, or working on promoting prospect camps. Around 2:30 p.m. I start my recruiting for the day, which could mean I begin to call recruits I have not spoken with, but are interested in the program or touching base with incoming recruits. Every day I set aside at least two hours to make sure I am recruiting. To close out my day I call my assistant coaches and we talk about recruits, concerns, or just a debrief of the day.
What’s the most surprising part of your job?
How much administration work you have to do. All the behind the scenes work that as an assistant coach I never knew existed.
What’s the biggest perk of your job?
The biggest perk of my job is the relationships you get to build with your players and watching the positive impact you can have on their lives. Also, the opportunity to compete for a National Championship ever year.
What are you most proud of?
I am most proud of being able to have a positive influence and be a mentor for young men. You can’t put into words when a player tells you that you had a huge impact on their life; not baseball but their life. That’s what it is all about.
What is your favorite memory at work?
Well, to make sure I don’t upset anyone, I have two. 2010 and 2017 when I was at UMass Boston and we won the New England Regional Championship to send us to the College World Series. It is tough to explain the feeling you get when all the hard work you put in throughout a season pays off and you accomplish what you were working so hard for.
How did Suffolk prepare you for your role?
Suffolk had a huge impact on me and prepared me for not only my job, but more importantly, life. Suffolk was a great school; the classes were challenging, and campus life was great, but in addition, you learn both factual and practical information. Which means, what you’re learning is not only interesting, but will help you in your future role. Suffolk embraced teaching skills that helped me with, communication, teamwork, critical thinking, problem solving, organization, which definitely added a ton of value to my current job. The diversity at Suffolk was something that had a positive impact on me as well. You get to learn about different cultures and background because the students are from all over the world not just the country. Last but certainly not least, at Suffolk, your campus is a city!!!! It’s not your typical college campus where there is quad or things along those lines. Your campus is the city of Boston, it makes you grow up fast.
What’s your favorite Suffolk memory?
When I think about Suffolk the first thing that always comes to mind are the relationships and friendships I made while I was there. To be honest, there are so many memories, but a record of 38-9 and winning two GNAC Championships stick out the most. Plus, the saying “2nd Floor Ridgeway”.
What advice do you have for current students?
Go to school, get good grades, embrace and value the time you have while you are in school. It is truly the best time of your life!!
What made you choose Suffolk?
My sister went to Suffolk and loved it. She had nothing but positive things to say about it. Plus, I wanted to get away from where I was from, but still be close enough that I could go home to see my family. Suffolk was about an hour and half away, that allowed me to be far enough away but also still close enough, and the opportunity to play baseball obviously had a huge impact on me choosing Suffolk.
Outside of work, what is your life like? I.E. family, kids, what do you do for fun, etc?
Outside of work I do not have any kids, however, I have a dog who is pretty much my whole life. She keeps me busy that’s for sure. I love being active, going to the gym, playing baseball, going out to eat, trying new restaurants, and being with my family.
Ram Nation has the chance to stay in touch with Kevni Kelly by following him on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @KevKell10, and he encourages the Suffolk community to keep in touch with the Rams' conference counterpart, Roger Williams' Baseball, on Instagram (@rogerwilliamsbaseball) and Twitter (@RWUBaseball) as well.
Are you a Suffolk Athletics alum who would like to revisit with Ram Nation? Contact Sports Information Director Amy Barry at abarry7@suffolk.edu.