Louis Kelley

Louis Kelley graduated in 1956 from Woodson High School in Abilene, Texas. He continued his football career at nearby Cisco Junior College, before moving on to New Mexico State University. Kelley had a very successful career as a fullback at NMSU. In 1959, Kelley helped lead the Aggies to a Sun Bowl victory and was elected the season MVP by his teammates. The determination, passion, hard work, and character he learned by playing football would soon carry over to an outstanding coaching career.

Coach Kelley served as an assistant coach for eight years before landing his first head coaching position at Lubbock’s Dunbar High School
in 1969. He transferred to Estacado High School in 1975, where he had 26 successful years, including 17 district championship wins.

After 40 years in the Lubbock Independent School District, Coach Kelley amassed a head coaching record of 240-91-10,

which at the time, was the tenth best record of head football coaches in Texas high school history!

Coach Kelley was honored with many accolades during his coaching career. He was inducted into the Abilene ISD Hall of Honor in 1988, named by the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal as the
All City Coach of the Century in 1999, and was chosen to coach the Texas High School Coaches Association’s All Star Game in 1985. He served four years on the THSCA Board of Directors (1980-84) and was inducted into the THSCA Hall of Honor in 1997. Two honors were awarded to Coach Kelley from the Texas Tech Chapter of the National Football Foundation: “Outstanding Contribution to Amateur Football” and the prestigious “Legends Award.” Coach Kelley was inducted into the
New Mexico State University Hall of Fame in 2004, and most recently completed a four year term on the THSCA’s Hall Of Honor Selection Committee.

Coach Kelley and his wife, Claudier, still reside in Lubbock. They have a son, Louis, and four grandchildren.