Two-time champion Kelly Ross steps down into assistant role at Bay High
Bay High boy’s soccer coach Kelly Ross is stepping down to an assistant role after 11 seasons leading the program.
Ross enjoyed a successful tenure, winning Bay High’s first two championships, and he won’t be straying far from his team. He’ll be swapping roles with assistant coach Chris Doxey and will remain on the staff.
“I’ve always thought coach Doxey would make a great head coach,” Ross told the Sun Herald. “He was a big part of us winning the state championship this year so I’m excited he’s getting the opportunity to be head coach next year and I’m excited to continue to help guide the program as an assistant coach.”
Ross and Doxey, powered by stars Aiden Boudro and Bryton Dupuy, are coming off a 18-5-2 season that the Tigers finished off with eight wins in a row.
A grueling playoff slate featured come-from-behind wins against Sumrall and Pass Christian. In the second round match against Sumrall, the Tigers needed two goals in the final two minutes to stun the Bobcats with a 3-2 win.
“Willingness to believe and fight won us those games,” Ross said.
The championship is the first for Bay High since 2012, which was Ross’ first season at the helm.
From Ross’ perspective, the most recent title felt different from the first. He developed an appreciation for the strength of Mississippi’s ultra-competitive Coast region and the challenges of a long playoff run in the nine years in between titles.
“It felt a lot different because there were so many chances in between where we could’ve gotten there,” Ross said. “I think the last 10 years have taught me how difficult it is so I’ve come to appreciate it a lot more... We knocked on the door on several occasions, but actually getting to that final game, winning the last game of the season, is not easy to do.”
Bay High reached the finals twice in between its title runs, once in 2017 and then again last season.
Ross is stepping down for a handful of reasons that lead him to believe it’s simply the right time. Ross will have more time to teach, coach golf and attend his children’s sporting events.
Doxey was previously an assistant coach at Bay High from 2001-06 and was an assistant for the boy’s and girl’s soccer teams at Gulfport from 07-22. He’s been a part of multiple championship-winning teams, his first coming while on the 2008 Lady Admirals staff, and has coached on four teams who made title games.
The Tigers have a strong core to work with next season during their title defense campaign with both Boudro and Dupuy returning.
“I hope that together we can keep Bay High at the top of Mississippi 4A boy’s soccer,” Ross said.
