Twitter: @PCNHJasonShoot   DENVER — Anthony “Champ” Kelly finds himself smack dab in the middle of the maelstrom that is Tebowmania. The Campbellton native is the assistant director of pro personnel with the NFL’s Denver Broncos, and he’s had a privileged seat watching Tim Tebow and the Broncos ascend to the top of the AFC West and make a run toward the playoffs. “I’ve never been in a situation — and I’ve played on almost every level, coached and done some stuff in football — I haven’t been around a guy or a situation like this with Tim,” Kelly said late last week. “But he directs the attention to the right place. He doesn’t ask for all of this. He wants to go out, play football and win games. “He knows where his faith comes from, and that’s the main thing.” Tebow will quarterback the Broncos against one of the NFL’s most consistent franchises over the past decade, the New England Patriots (3 p.m. CST, CBS). Denver (8-5) has won six straight games and seven of eight since Tebow earned the starting nod over Kyle Orton following Week 5. Tebow has rallied Denver to a number of come-from-behind victories this season, but he can’t afford to start slowly as he has in most of his games. New England will try to establish an early lead and force the Broncos to rally by throwing the ball, which not only puts added pressure on Tebow, but it also could make Denver more one-dimensional without a running game to balance the play calling. “We’re playing against one of the best teams in the NFL over the last few years,” Kelly said. “They have one of the best QBs [...]

GRACEVILLE, Fla- It's time for the 2nd annual C.H.A.M.P. Camp at Graceville High School this week. It's a football camp hosted by Anthony "Champ" Kelly, a Graceville alum, who is the assistant director of pro personnel for the Denver Broncos. Kelly wants to continue to give back to the kids in his hometown and beyond. Last summer Champ Kelly started the C.H.A.M.P. camp to show young football players the fundamentals of the game, and to also teach them about more than just football. "Just talk about life skills," Champ Kelly said. "Accountability, just encouragement. About being tough, being reliable." Champ and his coaches are back for year number two, which they hope will doubles the first. "We've gone to Dothan Alabama to encourage some of those kids to come out. We had a chance to go to some schools here in Panama city to encourage those kids to come out. So we're excited about this year, hoping to double the turnout from a year ago in Graceville," added Kelly. Champ is not alone in this venture. He brings in several coaches and former players to give these children a chance to learn from people who have been where they want to go. People like Eric Kelly, a Bay High alum and former Kentucky Wildcat, who played in the NFL. "Just to be able to help the kids out and give them an opportunity to understand what it takes to achieve their goals, whether it's being an athlete or a doctor or lawyer," Eric Kelly said. "Whatever it may be. Just being able to give the kids in my area, that don't get that opportunity on an every day basis, a chance to meet someone who's [...]

    By JASON SHOOT / News Herald Writer    GRACEVILLE — Anthony “Champ” Kelly refused to be an example of someone who moved away from this quiet town and never returned. “I lived in Campbellton all my life and graduated from Graceville,” said Kelly, now the assistant coordinator of pro and college scouting for the NFL’s Denver Broncos. “It’s a very small, rural area. There are not a lot of professionals like pro athletes or pro business people who came back to Graceville and spoke to the kids or students there. So for me, I didn’t know what all was out there. Not knowing what’s out there can limit your vision of where you want to go.” For the second consecutive year, Kelly is giving back to his former home in the form of The C.H.A.M.P. Camp, a two-day non-contact football camp scheduled for June 30 and July 1 at Graceville High School. The camp is for kids ages 10-17 and costs $50 to enter, though exceptions may be made for kids unable to cover the expense. Last year’s camp included 120 athletes, and Kelly hopes the camp grows considerably this year. Kelly added that he expects the number of staffers to increase, too, with a blend of area coaches and former college players. “Last year we had around 30 (coaches) and probably 15 people on the staff,” Kelly said. “This year we hope there’s around 40 coaches from the local area, and the guys I’m bringing with me. … The thing we hope to accomplish with this camp is this: We want those guys to see past the streets of Campbellton, Graceville, Panama City, Dothan (Ala.),” Kelly said. “The sky truly is the [...]

JASON SHOOT / News Herald Writer GRACEVILLE — Anthony Kelly learned quickly he was among brothers in arms when he arrived to play football at the University of Kentucky. He was a little slow to pick up that he had a cousin in arms there, too. “So I get to UK’s campus, and I was recruited as an athlete but they immediately put me in as a defensive back,” Kelly said. “The leader at that time was Eric Kelly, one of the top corners in the nation. His last name was Kelly, he was from Florida, so he took me under his wing. Wherever we went he said, ‘This is my little cousin,’ and I’d tell everybody, ‘This is my big cousin.’ “We had no idea that was the reality.” An entire semester had passed before the two Kellys learned they were related, Kelly said. Their fathers were brothers, and it took a phone call from Anthony’s dad to bring it to light. “My dad called me one day and asked if I had fun playing with my cousin,” said Anthony Kelly, who grew up in Campbellton while Eric Kelly was attending Bay High School in Panama City. “I said, ‘What are you talking about?’ Basically Eric’s dad was my dad’s brother. It’s crazy. And Eric’s brother and I knew each other. It just never really dawned on us we were related. For me, the Kelly side of my family I always thought lived in Alabama and South Florida. It totally blew us away.” Kelly said the relationship between the two cousins changed immediately. “Absolutely,” he said. “From that point on we held each other accountable. … It was encouraging to know I had an [...]

Raised in a small, rural town in Florida’s panhandle, Anthony “Champ” Kelly, Denver Broncos Assistant Director of Player Personnel and former University of Kentucky student athlete, says his childhood and home life were sometimes difficult.  However, he gives credit to his community for embracing and nurturing him throughout hard times. The love and support Kelly garnered from his community afforded him confidence and resiliency.  Ultimately, making him who he is today, and impelling him to volunteer throughout his time at UK and beyond.  Because of this, Kelly and his wife Stephanie, founded Heart Power, Inc., a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting youth and their families who are in search of positive, encouraging influences in their lives. “The most impactful community event of my life was volunteering at Kentucky Children’s Hospital during ‘Breakfast with Santa,’” said Kelly. “I was privileged to witness the amazing spirits of kids and babies who were very sick. These kids had smiles and ambitions that proved to me that it is possible to be victorious over adversity.” Now, more than ten years since his experience at the Kentucky Children’s Hospital, Kelly’s Heart Power wants to again contribute to the hospital through proceeds from the C.H.A.M.P. Camp.  The camp, Heart Power’s most important event, is a two-day, non-contact football camp for children ages 10-17.  The inaugural camp was held at Kelly’s high school in Graceville, Fla. in the summer of 2010. The staff and coaches worked with more than 120 campers to instill the core values of Character, Heart, Attitude, Motivation, and Pride through instruction of football fundamentals and speakers delivering messages on life skills and the importance of making good decisions.  Speakers and coaches consisted of a variety of local business [...]

By: Dustin Kent Published: May 26, 2010 » 0 Comments | Post a Comment Former Graceville High School and University of Kentucky football star Anthony “Champ” Kelly will be conducting his first high school football camp July 8-9 at Graceville High School. The “C.H.A.M.P Camp” will be a two-day, non-contact camp for students ages 10 to 17 from Northwest Florida. The camp will stress football fundamentals, speed and agility, as well as focus on life skills and education. C.H.A.M.P. stands for “Character, Heart, Attitude, Motivation and Pride.” The 30-year-old Kelly, who now works as assistant director of pro personnel for the NFL’s Denver Broncos, said the camp’s mission is as much about the off-field lessons as the on-field ones. “The main thing is using football to get kids to listen to people talk about life skills, upcoming obstacles, and the importance of education,” Kelly said. “I’ve really been tremendously blessed to be raised by this community, and have opportunity to go get an education while playing football, play a little semi-pro ball, and now I’m living a dream as a scout in the NFL. “When I was at Graceville, I didn’t get to see professionals talk to kids, to see how they got to where they’re at. I never wanted to lose sight of that. I want to make sure kids have an example to look to.” After graduating from Graceville in 1998, Kelly moved on to play for the Kentucky Wildcats for four years, playing both cornerback and receiver. He then got his master’s degree while working for IBM for two years. But his fondness for football got him back in the sport. Kelly went to play for the Lexington Horsemen of the United Indoor [...]