Serving others
By Brittany Brownrigg, March 18, 2010
Now in his last season as a Grizzly, senior Nathanael Kelly remembers first picking up a tennis racquet in junior high with his father, Terry Kelly, and his uncle, Tim Kelly.
“(We had) no idea what we were doing,” Kelly said.
After becoming more interested in the sport, the Bedford, Ind.-native decided to give up cross country and play tennis. When he entered Bedford North Lawrence High School, Kelly made tennis his main sport by competing on the court throughout all four years of his high school career. He also competed in one season of basketball and track and three years of golf throughout high school.
When high school came to an end, Kelly decided to enroll at the University of Evansville. Kelly said that the week before classes were supposed to start in Evansville he visited Franklin. He knew that he wanted to major in education and that Franklin would be a great place for him to receive an excellent education.
Kelly knew someone else who was going to Franklin and thought it would be nice to have a friend coming into college. Unlike Evansville, Franklin also offered Kelly the opportunity to continue playing tennis competitively.
Just a week before classes started Kelly made the decision to go to Franklin and he said that he has no regrets.
While at Franklin, Kelly and the Grizzlies have had success. Last year, Kelly was co-captain with Ben Ahlbrand and is now the captain of the team.
In spite of this success, Kelly said that the thing he is most proud of does not involve any tennis accomplishments, but instead involves the memories and friendships he has made along his journey with the team. Kelly said that he has had a lot of fun over the years, while learning about leadership through the team.
Kelly said that tennis has allowed him to compete and be more than just an athlete because it does not require year-round practice or training.
“Tennis has allowed me to pursue other interests,” Kelly said. “Tennis isn’t my life by any means, [but] just a small part of it.”
Along with Kelly’s leadership on the tennis team, he is very involved in both Intervarsity and the Religious Life Team. Kelly said that his priorities are God first, family second, academics third and tennis fourth with God being dominant in all aspects of his life.
“I’ve been able to make my faith my own,” Kelly said. “I’ve been able to work through things on my own.”
His mother, Ranee Kelly, believes that her son’s priorities are correct.
“I think [his priorities are] very much in the right order,” his mother said. “As he has grown and matured he has definitely gotten his priorities in the right order.”
“I love spending time with my family,” Kelly said. “I love going fishing with my dad. I love going out to eat with my mom and spending time outdoors with both of them. I’ve just been extremely blessed as far as my parents go.”
Kelly said that – because of his priorities – tennis sometimes takes a back seat to other things. Throughout all aspects of his life, Kelly puts a major emphasis on people and his relationships with them. Kelly knows that he wants to have an impact on people’s lives, which is one reason why he wants to be a teacher.
“I wanted to do something where I could make a difference in people’s lives [and] teaching is a great way to do that,” Kelly said.
Kelly also said that he wants to be involved in young peoples’ lives.
“Youth are definitely my passion,” he said.
Kelly’s religion is also something he is extremely passionate about.
“I’m a very religious person,” Kelly said. “I said tennis was a very small part of my life, religion would be the dominant part of my life by far.”
For the past three summers Kelly has been able to combine his passions of religion and youth by working at religious camps throughout the summers. In the summer after his freshman year, Kelly worked at a camp called Hidden Falls, which was close to home. He worked there the summer following his sophomore year, as well. Last summer, Kelly decided to go a bit farther and go to Estes Park, Colo. to a camp called Covenant Heights.
His mother said that his servant’s heart is what makes her most proud of her son.
“I want to love people,” Kelly said.
Kelly said that he believes his future is open to a variety of options and he is not sure where he will end up. Nothing is tying Kelly down and he said he is open to missions work, teaching, and managing or opening a camp like the ones he has taught at.
“Wherever God wants me is where I want to be,” Kelly said.
Kelly was able to share his thoughts the sermon he gave Tuesday in the campus chapel. In his sermon, Kelly challenged those there to look at God’s teachings and ask themselves if they are following Christ. He said that he was not talking down to anyone and that he needed to hear the message, as well.
“I’m going from the heart,” Kelly said. “We all have one thing in common: we’re here to follow Christ.”
David Weatherspoon, Franklin’s dean of chapel, said that he thought Kelly preached a wonderful sermon. Weatherspoon also commented on Kelly’s servant’s heart.
“Nate is always very quick to jump in head first if there is a need,” Weatherspoon said.
Although Kelly graduates in less than three months, he is continuing to stay involved on campus with Religious Life and other organizations and still believes that this tennis season holds potential.
“I think we can win our conference tournament,” Kelly said. “We’ve got a shot at it … On any given day anything can happen, that’s why you play.”
Kelly said that he is going to miss collegiate competition after graduation.
“I’m a very competitive person and it’s probably going to be the thing I miss the most after college is the competition,” Kelly said.
The Grizzlies, currently 3-4 (1-1 HCAC), take on Transylvania University on Thursday, March 25 at 4 p.m.
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