Image: Chilliwack Giants

By Mike Vanden Bosch

Making an impact

Chilliwack football community mourns the loss of local coach who made huge impact by giving back

Aug 25, 2025 | 10:04 AM

CHILLIWACK — Members of the Chilliwack football community are mourning the passing of a local coach who played in the CJFL and U Sports and made a huge impact coaching youth football in Chilliwack.

The Chilliwack Giants youth football program paid tribute to Mike Kelly, who stood out as a receiver in the Giants’ midget program back in 1996 as a wide receiver before taking his talents to the Canadian Junior Football League and CIS, now known as U Sports.

Kelly would later return to the Chilliwack Giants to share his leadership and expertise by serving as the offensive coordinator for the 2009 provincial championship team, leaving an indelible mark on one of the program’s most impressive accomplishments.

“Mike Kelly will always be remembered as one of the true legends of the Chilliwack Giants football family,” the Giants said on Friday, Aug. 22. “But Mike’s legacy was never just about his own achievements—it was about the way he gave back.”

Image: Chilliwack Giants / Coach Mike Kelly is pictured on the sidelines in this file photo.

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Kelly attended the University of the Fraser Valley and the University of Manitoba, before working for the City of Chilliwack, Mainroad Group, the B.C. Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure, and the City of Abbotsford.

From 2014 to 2019, Kelly’s commitment to youth football remained a core value of his as he once again joined the Giants as both a coach, and a valued member of the executive. He not only instilled valuable lessons into aspiring football players, but he also had a chance to coach his own son.

“Those years were especially meaningful, as he had the opportunity to coach his own son while continuing to mentor countless other young athletes,” the Giants said. “His football wisdom and coaching philosophies continue to ripple through the Valley, carried forward by those he taught and inspired. His impact on the game, and on the lives of so many players, will continue for generations.”

Chilliwack resident Ian Parks, who coached football at G.W. Graham, was one of the many lives impacted by Mike Kelly.

“One of the nicest guys I’ve ever known, and a great friend. Thank you for all your smiles, guidance, and friendship Mike Kelly. You will be remembered,” Parks wrote on Facebook.

Former G.W. Graham varsity football coach Luke Acheson said of Kelly’s passing: “No words…… you are the best of us and you will be greatly missed my friend,” followed by crying emojis. Acheson also posted a picture of him and Kelly celebrating after a perfect season from their heyday.

Image: Luke Acheson / Luke Acheson and Mike Kelly celebrate a perfect regular season in this picture from the Winnipeg Free Press.

The Chilliwack Giants concluded their heartfelt tribute by describing Kelly as more than a coach – he was family to the tight-knit football community in Chilliwack.

“The Chilliwack Giants will forever miss Mike’s kind soul, his easy smile, and his deep love for football. He was more than a player and coach—he was family to the Giants community, and his influence will never be forgotten,” the Giants said. “His legacy lives on in the athletes he shaped, the friends he made, and the program he helped build into something greater.”