Connecticut high school football lost one of its true giants with the passing of Coach Jude Kelly — a man who transformed programs, shaped communities, and changed lives.
At East Catholic, Southington, St. Paul, and later Weaver High School in Hartford, Coach Kelly built more than winning teams. He built belief.
His early years at East Catholic were met with skepticism, but once his players embraced his discipline, faith, and relentless standards, the program rose to prominence and captured three state championships in five years.
At Southington, where he followed a retiring legend, he again faced early adversity and skepticism. In time, the culture took hold. He upheld and elevated an already proud tradition, eventually guiding the program to championship success of its own.
HARTFORD 09/07/21 Jude Kelly, one of the winningest coaches in state history, came out of retirement to coach the reformed Weaver High School football team which had been disbanded for several years during reconstruction of the school. The team will be junior varsity only this year. Photo by Cloe Poisson/Special to the Courant
As success grew, so did school pride. Six busloads of students traveled to witness a defining victory at Xavier in 1983. Ten busloads followed the team to the state championship game against Hand later that year — our own version of “Miracle” and “Hoosiers”, a true David-versus-Goliath storyline.
We were a small Catholic school with a combined JV/Varsity roster of just 42 players and only 32 dressing for games, facing a powerhouse program stocked with future Division I stars and a massive offensive line, while our heaviest player was a 200-pound fullback. What we lacked in size, we made up for in speed, discipline, and belief.
What Coach Kelly built wasn’t merely a football team; it was conviction strong enough to overcome numbers, reputation, and physical disparity — and it galvanized an entire community.
He coached with precision and conviction — mastering the wishbone offense through exacting timing, repetition, and accountability. Every step, every handoff, every block mattered. His teams were disciplined, prepared, and mentally tougher than their opponents.
And when the game evolved, so did he. He transitioned to the run-and-shoot not to chase trends, but to better showcase his athletes and expand their collegiate opportunities. His loyalty was never to a system — it was to his players.
He also helped restore football to Friday nights in Hartford — our Connecticut version of Friday Night Lights. Showcase games moved to venerable Dillon Stadium, where his teams squared off against the state’s finest. He deliberately scheduled regional non-league powers to test his players, knowing that in that era a single loss could end championship hopes. He didn’t protect records — he prepared young men.
Coach Kelly understood that football was a vehicle. He helped countless young men gain admission to outstanding academic colleges through the sport, and he worked tirelessly to secure scholarships and financial aid so families who struggled could afford those opportunities. He made calls. He advocated. He opened doors. In doing so, he changed the trajectory of life for so many of his players — and, by extension, the course of their families for generations to come.
On game days at East Catholic, fight songs pulsed between classes, filling the hallways with energy and anticipation. The Notre Dame fight song became our anthem — a reflection of his proud Irish Catholic roots and his belief that his players should see themselves on stages far larger than a high school field.
He endured criticism at times. Some questioned his methods. Others disagreed with decisions. But he never wavered. Rooted deeply in his Catholic faith, he led with conviction and moral clarity, holding firm to the standards of discipline, accountability, and character he believed every young man should carry into life.
Even after retirement, his love for the game and for young people drew him back. In 2022, when Weaver High School in Hartford shut down its football program due to low participation, Coach Kelly returned to the sidelines to help revive it. He gave two more years to the next generation before dementia ultimately forced him away from the game he loved.
That was Jude Kelly — always answering the call.
Programs rose under his leadership.
Young men grew under his guidance.
Communities rallied around his belief.
He was our legend.
He passed on Valentine’s Day — fitting for a man who coached with uncommon heart and taught generations of young men how to find the size of their own.
Leaders of his conviction and disciplined heart are rare — and we were fortunate to have him as ours.
Coach Kelly – Rest in the peace you so richly deserve.
Mario DiLoreto, East Catholic Class of 1986