“Had to Sneak Away”: Travis Kelce’s Mom Donna Reveals Struggles of Becoming an Athle…see more

“Had to Sneak Away”: Travis Kelce’s Mom Donna Reveals Struggles of Becoming an Athlete Under ‘Traditional’ Father

Donna grew up in a quiet neighborhood in a suburb of Cleveland. She was just in the fourth grade when they moved there and her grandparents lived upstairs. But her mother was very ill and passed away when Donna was 12 and her brother was just 10. Her father soon remarried Mary, Donna’s stepmother, who went on to become her strength. “And, by the grace of God, if we didn’t have her, I don’t think we would have made it through,” Donna shared in 2023.

In an interview with THRIVE@50+, Donna Kelce shared how her stepmother’s influence gave her the confidence to chase what she wanted, no matter the hurdles. “My stepmother came to us when I was about 12 years old. She taught me how to be and try for anything I wanted to do. That it was limitless for women. My dad was very traditional. He didn’t feel like women should be in sports. But I wanted to play sports,” she recalled. But Donna had to get creative—literally sneaking away to track practices.

One day, Travis Kelce’s mum came home excited after training for a 50-yard dash and a broad jump event. She told her dad to watch her on TV that night. “So, I had to sneak away in middle school to go for track training. One time I remember, in particular, I was training for the 50-yard dash and broad jump, and when I came home, I told my dad you really wanna see me on television tonight. He really did not want me doing this, but once he saw me, and saw how good I was, I think he changed his mind.” What was the result of all this practice?

With Mary’s support, Donna went on to compete at the Junior Olympics in track and field. Her school’s track coach helped her sign up. She performed so well that the Cleveland Heights’ local news station interviewed her back then.

So, what message does the 71-year-old have for the youth? “Just stay true to yourself. It is important to take ownership of yourself.”

Despite the hurdles, Donna’s passion for sports never dimmed. On The Martha Stewart Podcast earlier this year, she shared more about those early struggles. Mama Kelce recalled how her father had preconceived notions about how her future should be. “He felt I’d either be a mother, a nurse, or a teacher,” Donna explained. Yet, like many young female athletes of her time, her athletic journey was cut short. In high school, there weren’t myriad opportunities for girls in sports.

Donna had talent and drive but was playing in a time before Title IX (the landmark U.S. legislation that paved the way for women in sports). She competed as much as she could, but her journey ended prematurely. “It was intramural. It wasn’t inter-school,” she added, highlighting the limited options available to her. Still, Donna’s love for sports didn’t go to waste—it passed down to her sons, Jason and Travis Kelce— both Super Bowl champions.