An exceptional and versatile athlete, Kelly rewrote nearly all of the swimming records at Pasadena High School. During her junior and senior seasons, she was named the District 23-5A's most valuable swimmer. Three times, she won the district's 200 freestyle title, and twice, she claimed the district's 100 backstroke crown. 

In addition to setting 71 school records and 21 Pasadena ISD records, she was also awarded the Dale Parrott Award for Outstanding Swimmer in the Pasadena ISD as a senior. Kelly also garnered numerous honors in water polo and set school records in track for both the pole vault and shot put. 

The daughter of Pasadena ISD swim coaches Robert and Darla Kelly, who also coached her in high school, Kelly went on to compete in swimming for two years at the University of Houston. She is now a lawyer in Houston.