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Most of us know Kylie Kelce as the charming wife of former NFL player Jason Kelce. She’s a Philly girl, mom of three young daughters, and she runs the Philadelphia Eagles’ Autism Foundation. For the last seven years, Kylie has also coached varsity field hockey at the Lower Merion High School in Philly, a sport she played herself while attending Cabrini University in Radner, PA. This year, Kylie is returning for her eight season as coach. Last week, Kylie gave an interview to People about her coaching gig. She talked about her student athletes, the importance of participating in a team sport in high school, and how she hopes to improve her young teammates’ lives.
On the “wide range” of athletes in high school sports: “Some people will decide to go on to play Division One. Other people won’t play past their senior year. They’re really there to just enjoy the sport and enjoy time with their friends. In our situation, all are welcome.”
The importance of team sports: “Even for the people who don’t choose to play after high school, they still get to take that away. So we want them to be more confident when they leave. We want them to be able to work with a team, whether that’s athletically or in a workplace or in a classroom.”
Playing sports builds character: In addition to helping her athletes improve their performance on the field, Kylie said, “Ultimately, I’m trying to help them win at life. So all of those character-building opportunities are things that we focus on mostly.”
On Jason’s new gig with ESPN’s Monday Night Countdown: “I truly believe he’s good at everything. I have full faith that he’s going to tackle his new position and excel.”
I love all of this and really appreciate Kylie’s insight and understanding about just how assorted and impressionable high school athletes can be. Not every team member, even the great ones, will go on to play in college or beyond, but that’s okay because they’re still there to learn what it means to be on a team and challenge themselves. They’re still there to gain confidence skills that they’ll potentially carry with them for life. That is a wonderful attitude for the coach of teenage girls to have.
And, honestly, a good coach can make all of the difference. When I was junior varsity age, I was brought up to the varsity cross-country team by the assistant coach, who happened to have been my PE (physical education/gym) teacher for three years before that. She was wonderful and looked out for her younger girls on the team. The head coach, however, was an a-hole. One day, he called me into his classroom and asked me why I didn’t run as fast as my younger sister, who he’d seen at weekly community track & field events that my parents had taken us to the summer before. I was devastated. It messed with my self-esteem so badly for years. Those girls are lucky to have Kylie as their coach. She seems like a wonderful woman to teach them all of these lessons and really make a difference.
She coaches at my kids’ high school. She’s really well liked and a wonderful coach. Obviously my boys don’t play girls field hockey but I get to see the team when I pick my sons up from their various sports practices. Though I should note that Lower Merion is not in Philly, it’s just outside the city. And it’s Radnor, not Radner.
I played for Council Rock and Lower Marion was one of our competitors way back in the day.
Kobe Bryant’s high school! We lived in Villanova for a couple of years.
This is just all the way around great news. Little girls need a Kylie Kelce to inspire them, just like we had women to look up to when we were growing up. I am so happy to read this!
Just came to say this. Went to Bryn Mawr and there was this rhyme to capture the names of the towns on the Main Line: Old Maids Never Wed And Have Babies Rarely —Overbrook, Merion, Narbeth, Wynnewood, Ardmore, Haverford, Bryn Mawr, Rosemont. Villanova and Radnor stations were after Rosemont. Can’t believe I still remember this 45 years later!
I love this. Even little kids sports are so competitive. For me, the point of sports is to learn and grow, not create pro-athletes. I mean, yes, practice to win, but everyone should play. My son has a hard time with his baseball team because all of those kids want to be pro baseball players. He just likes to play.
I wrote a long comment below agreeing and then the site updated and ate it. The gist is, I played soccer growing up until I was almost 30, mostly recreationally. The Mia Hamm and Brandi Chastain World Cup win happened when I was in high school. Kids soccer these days is way too competitive and doesn’t look fun at all. I keep seeing kids doing club signing days. It’s just a lot. Of presssure. My bestie and I grew up playing soccer and loved it and none of our kids is in it. Team sports are important, I wish it was more relaxed.
What a terrible way to ruin not just your self-esteem, Rosie, but to damage a relationship between sisters.
You’re so right: A good coach makes all the difference. Kylie is a gem.