He played college baseball for the Cal Poly Mustangs, the Cuesta Cougars and the Missouri Valley Vikings.
[1] Kelly enrolled at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, where he played baseball for the Mustangs.
[2] For the 2001 season, Kelly transferred to Cuesta College, where he pitched for the Cougars' head coach, Larry Lee.
Kelly began his coaching career as a volunteer assistant for the Cal Poly Mustangs, a job he supplemented while also working at a local grocery store.
[5] Kelly would reunite with Larry Lee, joining his staff at Cal Poly as the pitching coach.