Ally & her husband Jeff
I met Allison Kelly when I was a sophmore in high school. She was a year younger than me, but because we played basketball together, we got to know each other pretty well and our families spent a lot of time together.
To give you a little background on her, she's roll-on-the-ground funny. She does impressions, she's quick-witted, sarcastic, and man, does she like to laugh!
I will never forget the 'band' we started at my house. On game days we would gather at my house for snacks and social-time to get fired up. We had a bunch of old instruments: a banjo, ukelele, tamborine, triangle, some sort of drum, etc. Being teenage girls and all, we decided to sing, dance, and play the instruments to get pumped up for our games. Ally was our designated banjo player/lead singer. It was HORRIBLE. We would do this in our back yard, so I have no idea what the neigbors thought of us, but we sure did have a great time.
Anyway, I digress. Ally is a phenomenal athlete. She went on (unlike my clutzy self) to play Division 1 basketball. And she never lost her crazy sense of humor and her willingness to try anything.
For instance: on her wedding day (just a couple months ago), her older sister came up to her and told her that American Gladiator tryouts were being held and that they were taking Ally to the tryout. She was already wearing her veil, but had no problem going along with the plan. At the tryout, they convinced the American Gladiator staff to let her skip through the line so that she could get back in time for her wedding. She did make it back in time, but not with enough time to fit in a shower before she walked down the aisle. Her mom and bridesmaids had to settle for a quick towel-down in the dressing area.
The next day, Ally and her new husband left for their honeymoon...and she got a call-back for the show. Somehow, Ally convinced the show to allow her husband to tryout as well, so now they both will be appearing on American Gladiators sometime in June.
I ran into her mom just a couple days ago, and all she told me was that "Ally did pretty well..." whatever that means! So I guess I'll just have to wait for the show to air to learn more. But, there's no one I can think of who would make a more fun, personable, lively American Gladiator than Ally, so all I can say is "GOOD LUCK! I LOVE YA, GIRL!"
[photos via: Allison Kelly]
The crack up!
