The McElhaney’s legacy of love and championships

CHICKAMAUGA, Ga. (WDEF) – As Kevin McElhaney walked alongside his youngest daughter, Charlsie, up the 18th green, he knew something extraordinary had just happened. Gordon Lee’s girls golf team had just secured a D1A state championship. But for Kevin, it was more than just another trophy.

This win marked something deeply personal—it completed a rare trifecta. With Charlsie’s win, Kevin had now coached all three of his daughters—Tori, Katherine Grace, and Charlsie—to state titles across various sports.

It wasn’t just a coaching achievement—it was a father’s dream fulfilled.

“I’ve been incredibly fortunate to do what I do for a living,” Kevin expressed. “But probably the most meaningful moments weren’t just the championships. I got to hand each of them their high school diplomas. That… that’s what I’ll never forget.”

Kevin McElhaney, a 1983 graduate of Gordon Lee, has spent more than three decades teaching and coaching nearly every sport imaginable—football, basketball, softball, tennis, and golf, to name a few.

Known to students and athletes alike as Coach Mac, he’s as dedicated in the classroom as he is on the field.

He returned to his alma mater with one mission: to be present for his family.

“I made the decision that I was not leaving Gordon Lee until all of them were through,” he explained. “Whatever I had to coach, I would.”

Kevin coached Tori and Katherine Grace in softball, and Charlsie in sports.

He credited legendary softball coach Dana Mull for trusting him with that opportunity.

“There’s always the concern of ‘daddy ball,’ but I coached them harder than I coached anyone else. I expected more out of them. I didn’t pull punches.”

There were hard lessons, but also unforgettable moments.

Kevin recalls pulling Katherine Grace out of a basketball game, frustrated with her effort.

“I told her, ‘If you continue like that, I can’t play you.’ I wouldn’t have said that to another kid. But I knew what she was capable of.”

He also remembers a mantra he lived by with all three: “We don’t watch called third strikes.”

Tori McElhaney, the oldest, was a trailblazer.

A standout multi-sport athlete, she won four state championships in softball, one in basketball, and was a state runner-up in tennis.

Her voice now leads the Falcons media team as their Senior Reporter.

Tori is also the first woman to win the NSMA Georgia Sportswriter of the Year award.

She reflected, “I think I can speak for all of us when I say we didn’t expect this to happen—it just did. It was so organic. State championship after state championship, region title after region title, all with our dad. That’s rare.”

Tori appreciated the consistency her father showed both on and off the field.

“He was the same regardless of where we were. Coach and Dad—always. That’s what made it special. He was going to be hard on us when needed but also our biggest supporter.”

She also shared one of her favorite memories.

“It was my junior year, 2012. We’d just won the state championship in softball. Everyone was celebrating, and I remember looking for Dad. I found him and just ran and jumped into his arms. Someone snapped a photo. I’ll never forget that moment. And neither will he.”

And it wasn’t just about the wins.

“What really stuck with me,” she said, “is how he showed us every day what women are capable of. He never once made us feel less than. In fact, we always felt more.”

Katherine Grace McElhaney, the middle sister, carved her own path in softball, winning three state titles and finishing runner-up her freshman year.

Her bond with her dad went beyond the field.

“I think about those bus rides home,” she said. “The rest of the team rode with their parents. I rode with Dad. We’d talk strategy, recap the game, and plan for the next one. It was special.”

After one state title, she did something instinctive—something that mirrored her sister.

“I ran into the middle of the field, celebrated with my team, then turned around and ran back to Dad. Just like Tori did. And someone got the photo.”

Now preparing for her wedding, Katherine Grace is bringing those same values into her new chapter.

“My dad showed me what a godly husband and father looks like. I’m marrying a man much like him—a teacher, a coach, a leader. That’s no coincidence.”

She also developed a love for coaching herself.

“It’s not my profession, but it’s definitely a passion. I got that from him. I helped with Charlsie’s teams and felt so proud to carry that part of his legacy forward.”

Charlsie McElhaney, the youngest, recently capped off her high school career with a state championship in golf.

She’ll play at Maryville College in the fall.

“I always looked up to them,” she said, referring to her sisters. “I wanted to be like them. I wanted the championship. I wanted to be coached by Dad.”

That dream came true when Kevin took over as golf coach her freshman year.

“At first, I was like, ‘I see you all the time!’” she laughed. “But then I realized—I get even more time with him. And I loved that.”

Charlsie had to work hard to get there. “I wasn’t very good at first. But he took me to lessons, to the range, the course—everywhere. We gave up softball to focus on golf. Every summer, it was just us out there together.”

She felt the pressure during her senior season.

“Golf is different. It’s just you and your swing. Shot after shot. That last walk up the 18th—my nerves were shot. I kept thinking, ‘I have to finish strong.’ But once I knew we won, I turned, and he was right there.”

For Charlsie, those moments were everything.

“He’s always been a steady presence. Seeing him in the mornings, in class, at practice, and then again at home—I never took that for granted.”

What all three girls may have lacked in raw athleticism, they made up for with grit, intelligence, and heart. “They weren’t the best athletes,” Kevin admitted. “But they outworked everybody. They did the little things right.”

They also shared a deeper understanding of what it meant to be a McElhaney—faith-driven, hard-working, and family-focused.

Kevin made sure that his daughters knew their worth was never tied to a scoreboard.

“Their value wasn’t as players,” he said. “It wasn’t about the stats or the rings. It was who they were—and who they are.”

Now, Kevin has stepped away from coaching.

After 37 years, he’s retiring from the sideline—but not from the role that matters most.

“I got to walk up the 18th fairway with my youngest daughter, knowing it was the last time,” he said. “There’s nowhere else to go after that. It was the perfect ending.”

With a daughter getting married, another thriving in the NFL media world, and one just beginning her college athletic journey, Kevin and his wife Shannon are stepping into a new chapter—one filled with celebrations, memories, and, no doubt, a few more rounds of family competition.

“I’ll be at every tournament. Every milestone. Always,” Kevin said.“We’re a competitive family, sure. But the real legacy? It’s the love we’ve shared—and the time we spent together.”