Pasadena High School’s Darla Kelly named Diving Coach of the Year for the 20th time
By Kadey Heidrich
Pasadena ISD Communications
Darla Kelly, the Head Aquatics Coach at Pasadena High School, has been selected as the District 22-6A Diving Coach of the Year for the 20th time.
Kelly is no stranger to success. Over the course of her career with Pasadena ISD, she has received multiple awards for her work as a swimming and diving coach and in 2012, she became the only woman in Texas to be named the National Swimming and Diving Coach of the Year by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS).
While Kelly began coaching with Pasadena ISD in 1990, along with her husband Robert, Pasadena ISD’s Aquatics Director, her coaching career began over a decade earlier. In 1979, Kelly took her first job at Seabrook Intermediate as a cheerleading coach. The position opened doors for Kelly, allowing her to learn about gymnastics techniques-- knowledge she found useful as she began to coach divers. Shortly after marrying Robert in 1981, they began coaching together.
“We’re a team. It’s always been Robert and Darla,” said Kelly.
As a team, they have coached swimmers and divers in Pasadena ISD for over 30 years. The Kellys even coached their daughter Kristine when she attended high school.
“Students from the first group we coached together are now in their mid-50s. One is an executive at Walt Disney World, another is a two-time Air Corpsman of the Year,” said Kelly. “Time flies when you’re having fun and we’re always having fun at the pool. I like to say that no matter what goes on at school or in life before the pool, it’s always sunny at the pool.”
After looking back at this season’s accomplishments, Kelly says she is amazed at this year’s group of athletes. Her swimmers earned third place in the Girls’ Relay and another was awarded district champion for Girls’ Diving.
“I’m very proud of our students,” said Kelly. “Robert and I have a desire for all of our athletes to succeed and move on to the next level.”
One of Kelly's divers shows off his skills at practice.
At practice one of Kelly's divers works to perfect her form.