The Dodge City baseball team looks to the future with a new Head Coach JM Kelly has been named the next head baseball coach for the Conquistadors. 
 
Kelly comes to Dodge City eager to continue to build the Conq baseball program bringing plenty of experience to the table for the Conqs most recently serving as the Head Coach at East Central College in NJCAA. 
 
"My wife and I are excited to be a part of such a great community, both in town and on campus. We both grew up in agriculturally based communities and households and we know that Dodge City has a rich history in that regard, so we feel like we'll fit in well. Throughout the interview process, I felt a very strong sense of community and respect amongst the athletic department. We're excited to get to work in such a great environment with great people every single day" said Kelly about the opportunity to take over the Dodge City program. 
 
For the past two years, Kelly was the head coach at East Central College an NJCAA institution in Union, Missouri. He led the Falcons to the Region 16 NJCAA Division II title during the 2024 season as the team finished the year 37-21, a school record for wins in a season and he was named the Region 16 and Missouri Community College Athletic Conference Coach of the Year. During his time at ECC, he had 17 all-region players, including a Region 16 Player of the Year in 2023 and five All-MCCAC honorees. 
 
Before taking over at ECC, Coach Kelly was an assistant coach at Texas A&M-Kingsville (NCAA DII) and helped the team to a Top 25 ranking during the 2022 season, a season that would include a third-team All-American and Lone Star Conference Newcomer of the Year. The 2021 season saw Kelly work at NCAA DI, Charleston Southern University working as the catching and assistant hitting coach. The Charleston Southern hitters finished in the top three of the conference in most offensive categories. While in Charleston he also had the opportunity to work with the Charleston River Dodge a Tampa Bay Rays Low-A affiliate, while he also during his coaching career spent two years as an associate scout with the Houston Astros.
 
"Obviously what Brett (Doe – previous head coach) had going here was great and we want to continue building on that. We don't want to come in and change everything about this place, but we'd like to come in and leave our mark on it. The goal is to help these players become better young men and better ball players by the time they leave so that they can make positive contributions to society. We're certainly in the business of winning, but more importantly, we're in the business of molding great husbands and fathers," said Kelly about how he hopes to impact the baseball program and Dodge City. 
 
Kelly spent a year and a half as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Northern Oklahoma College-Tonkawa, where the team ranked Top 10 nationally in every offensive category. He helped coach 18 players who moved on to DI and DII programs. In his first season at the collegiate level, he was an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Carl Albert State College, while he was an assistant coach at Tomball High School in Texas before getting into the college coaching ranks. 
 
"The ultimate goal is to win a national championship, but as I stated earlier, our responsibility lies with the young men we are coaching and mentoring and helping them to become the best men they can be. We want these student-athletes to have opportunities when they leave here that will allow them to pursue their baseball career, but more importantly a degree from a university," said Kelly.
 
His college playing career saw him compete at Northern Oklahoma College-Tonkawa and then at Lamar University where he earned his bachelor's degree. He would go on to earn his master's degree in sports administration from East Central University in 2021. 
 
He currently is serving as the head coach of a collegiate summer league team the Thunder Bay Border Cats in the Northwoods League as he's led the team to a 25-19 record to lead the Great Plains East standings during the 2024 season. He coached for the Thunder Bay Border Cats in the 2023 season leading them to 27 wins and has spent the past six summers coaching summer college ball with various teams. 
 
Kelly is eager to lead the Conqs into the future and looks to build a strong program and culture at Dodge City for the Conqs baseball program.


"What they are saying"
"JM is a young and outstanding upcoming coach. His knowledge and energy for the game is spoken for. Success has always followed him"
 
Jimmy Ricklefsen - Assistant Head Coach McNeese State University

"Coach Kelly is a tireless worker and relentless recruiter. His ability to mold, motivate, and mentor young men to be leaders in their community and on the field makes him an outstanding person to lead Dodge City Baseball"
 
Toby Bicknell - Associate Head Coach UNC-Charlotte
 
JM is a great coach, but an even better person. He has an outstanding work ethic which is why he is successful at every program he has been a part of. He cares about the student-athlete and has a great ability to create and develop relationships. JM will do great things for Dodge City Baseball!
 
Ladd Rhodes - Assistant Coach/Recruiting Coordinator University of Southern Mississippi