(CMR) The Ministry of Youth, Sports, Culture & Heritage has announced the appointment of young Caymanian Emily Kelly as Assistant Director of Sports – Programmes.
According to a release from the Ministry, Ms. Kelly’s duties involve overseeing the department’s 20 coaches and sports coordinators to support them in delivering community programs, camps, workshops, recreational leagues, and events, along with school coaching sessions.
She will also help to develop and maintain strong working relationships with local sports associations and organizations to increase collaborative efforts and devise methods of assessing and evaluating programs to maximize the department’s potential.
“I am so pleased to welcome Ms. Kelly to the team. Her skills, experience and drive are going to greatly enhance our community programs and assist in ongoing talent identification and development,” Director of Sports, Mr. Kurt Hyde said.
The University of Richmond, VA Bachelor of Arts graduate, brings a wealth of US collegiate coaching and administrative experience to her present role. Her time at Division 1 and Division 3 institutions includes two years of coaching at the University of Mary Washington, Fredericksburg, VA, and one season coaching at her alma mater.
Ms. Kelly pursued a Master’s program in Sports Leadership at Virginia Commonwealth University’s Center. Its curriculum sparked her interest in the administrative side of college athletics, allowing her to support student-athletes with a more holistic approach to athlete development.
She then secured an administrative role as the LEADS Programme Coordinator (a leadership development program that provides a comprehensive and educational view of leadership for student-athletes) at Amherst College, Amherst, MA.
Prior to joining the Department of Sports, she was Director of Student-Athlete Development at University of Massachusetts, Amherst. During that time, Ms. Kelly facilitated numerous leadership and life skills workshops, guiding athletes on building a well-rounded portfolio, identifying transferrable skills, and marketing themselves as they begin to navigate life beyond sport.
Speaking about her first post on island, the former Cayman National U17 and U20 footballer said: “I’m thrilled to join the Department of Sports and work alongside so many individuals who are passionate about our islands’ sports engagement, and empowered me when I was a young athlete.”
“The opportunity to contribute to building a more collaborative culture to enhance the development of young Caymanians in sports – both as athletes and those who aspire to work in the industry – energizes me greatly. I’m eager to help elevate the sports landscape across our islands and feel very grateful to be in a position to do so,” she added.
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