MONTGOMERY, Ohio — Kelly Whelan is grateful.
The 2007 Ohio High School Athletic Association Officials Hall of Fame inductee is retiring at the conclusion of the high school basketball season after 50 years of officiating games.
"It became a passion and a lifelong calling," Whelan said.
Whelan officiated her final regular season game Wednesday night when Sycamore defeated Lakota West 63-51 at home in a Greater Miami Conference girls basketball contest.
“It was an honor to celebrate Kelly’s last game after 50 years of officiating,” Sycamore athletic director Andrew Ovington said. “The amount of support from officials, coaches, friends and family tonight shows the impact of her legacy on the game of basketball in Greater Cincinnati and the state of Ohio.”
Whelan, who lives in Sycamore Township, has officiated 18 girls basketball state tournament games. Whelan’s first state tournament game was in 1984. The boys and girls basketball games have given her so much of the years.
“For many years, Kelly has been one of the great officials in the state of Ohio, not just for her work on the court, but also her leadership within the officiating community,” said Beau Rugg, the Ohio High School Athletic Association director of officiating. “She has meant so much to high school sports in Ohio and her contributions go beyond the game. Kelly was inducted into the OHSAA Officials Hall of Fame in 2007 and has inspired countless young officials during her career.”
While Whelan officiated volleyball for 32 years, she found a calling with basketball.
“Alongside my husband (Jeff) and my kids, it’s been the greatest joy of my life,” Whelan said Tuesday.
Whelan has officiated games that included now college head coaches Chris Mack (College of Charleston), Mick Cronin (UCLA) and Pat Kelsey (Louisville). She's built bonds within the local officiating community.
While Whelan said she still has strong vision and the ability to run up and down the court, she said the timing is right to conclude her officiating career. Whelan’s goal is to always be perfect in the games she officiates. Even if 90-95% of correct calls earn an A-plus, it’s not enough.
“I want to go out at the top of my game,” Whelan said.
That’s why Wednesday was expected to be an emotional game. She said the Lakota West at Sycamore contest would be “almost like a state game.”
“I want to give these girls the best game I could ever call,” Whelan said. “I want them to be the focus. They deserve it more than what I do.”
Lakota West athletic director Scott Kaufman said Whelan is a “rock star.”
“Thrilled she is on our game (tonight) so we have a chance to celebrate her amazing career,” Kaufman said.
Whelan, a Greater Cincinnati Basketball Hall of Famer, said she will keep her focus even as a pregame ceremony recognized her 50 years of officiating service.
“I don’t want to cry,” Whelan said of her final regular season game. “It’s very monumental.”
