Bobbie Kelsey honored with award on ‘National Girls and Women in Sports Day’

The Milwaukee Youth Sports Alliance (MYSA) celebrated National Girls and Women in Sports Day (Feb. 1) with a “Lead Her Forward” event to recognize the dedicated female athletes, coaches, and leaders of Milwaukee. As part of the event, MYSA honored Bobbie Kelsey, Milwaukee Public Schools’ Commissioner of Interscholastic Athletics and Academics, with its Champion Leadership Award.

“MYSA applauds the vital role played by the individuals and organizations who join us in championing this effort: advocates seeking to protect Title IX and advance gender equity, athletes using their platform to inspire greatness, and coaches working daily to promote play,” Quentin Prince, MYSA executive director, said.

Kelsey’s sporting life touched nearly every part of the sports world as a player, coach, and broadcaster. During her basketball playing career, Kelsey’s Stanford Cardinal squad captured the 1992 NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship. A two-time co-captain at Stanford, she played in 105 games – earning 15 starts – despite bookending her college career with devastating ACL injuries. Kelsey was named the team’s Most Inspirational Player in 1992 and 1996, and captured the Most Improved Player award in 1993.

Following her playing days, Kelsey immediately launched her coaching career, and worked as an assistant coach from 1996-2011 for Boise State, Vanderbilt, Florida, Evansville, Western Carolina, Virginia Tech, and her alma mater Stanford. She eventually landed the head coaching gig with the Wisconsin Badgers, where she spent five seasons.

Before joining MPS in July 2019, Kelsey spent time as the Vice President of Corporate and Wellness Programs for the Boys and Girls Club of Dane County, an assistant coach for the WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks, and a studio analyst and color commentator for the Big Ten Network.

She now leads MPS Athletics, and strives to promote academic excellence in the classroom, ensure safe and secure environments for competitions, provide opportunities for student-athletes to develop confidence, encourage coaches to be role models, and promote the importance of teamwork, good sportsmanship and fair play.

“I was surprised, but honored, to receive the Champion Leadership Award from the Milwaukee Sports Youth Alliance in recognition of National Girls and Women in Sports Day,” Kelsey said. “I will continue to fight for all athletes, especially girls, to always know they have a place in the world of sports whether on the court as a player or in the front office as a boss.”

Kelsey is also a 2020 Milwaukee Black Excellence Awards honoree in the Sports category.