Special Person in My Life Spotlight: Bill Kellett

Throughout my life and my journey in golf, my dad has been there every step of the way. The passion and care he has shown for my well-being and pursuit of my golf dreams is something every kid can only wish for out of their father. The thing that really hits home for me is the fact that he told me from a young age that he will love me the same no matter how good or bad I play. He has oftentimes had to give me perspective into what is really important give me an assist in shutting down the competitive engine for a while to look around and smell the roses. My father is someone that lights up a room where ever he goes. The lessons I have learned from him are endless and I am overjoyed to call him my best friend. He has taught me that it is okay to be sensitive, vulnerable, to show emotion and passion. It is in this lesson that I have gained more and more comfortability within myself that it is fine to cry, to be sad and there lies one of the most important things we can all learn from Billy, be you. Anyone who has ever crossed paths with my dad can attest to this in that he is one of the most fun loving and goofy individuals you will ever interact with. He has shown me that it is great to get involved, to be a leader and to care less about what people around you think about you. I have taken away a lesson he might not know about: people can have their own opinion about you and that is their business. It is all about being kind and involving of people around you that will allow you to be remembered in a positive light. There is not a stitch of negativity when it comes to my dad and although he is human and has his moments, he is always willing to move past things and find a light at the end of the tunnel.

I think that we can all learn from my dad in that having fun and being in the moment is the most important thing in life. He has shown me that life is simply what you make of it and it is not about the moments of hardship that make us who we are, it is how we handle it. There has never been a moment where I do not feel like both him and my mother have the utmost faith in my ability and even at my darkest times, it is the sympathy they show me and the pain they share with me, followed by making a plan to change the trajectory I am headed and find a way to make things better going forward. I am grateful that my father has a very competitive side to him that I picked up on at a young age and gave me this relentless passion to get better at my craft. There is a lot to be said about how much that has done to help me keep moving forward. He oftentimes tells me that I have to do what others are not willing to do if I want to achieve what others will not achieve, and it is this knowledge that empowers me to take the action I do in every aspect of my life to be a better version of myself every day and keep trying to make progress on my goals.

My father has shown me that people stuck in their ways can change and has provided an open mind in things I have suggested to him over the years. He has made changes to himself at home when someone makes a criticism toward him. This is very empowering for me to see because it has allowed me to feel like I can let my guard down and hear negative criticism without feeling the need to get defensive. I am extremely proud of him for this because sometimes those things are hard to hear, and we all need to be more open about what we could be doing better. This is all a part of the journey of being a human.

There is not one friend my brothers or I have that do not love my father. He is truly a special man, with a very big heart and great intentions. His goal is to provide happiness to the people around him and make things as easy as possible for the next person. The appreciation I have to have such a hilarious, thoughtful and supportive father figure in my life is too great to put into words.

I love you Billy.