Watch CBS News

Lockport High School Soccer Coach Awarded With Springsteen Tickets

CHICAGO (CBS) -- A southwest suburban teacher and coach was honored Thursday for making a difference in his students and players on and off the field for the past 20 years.

Lockport Township High School physical education teacher and soccer coach Todd Elkei was awarded tickets to see his musical hero, Bruce Springsteen, in concert at the United Center next week.

"He's been someone that's gotten me through a lot of hard times since 5th grade, through the divorce of my parents," Elkei said.

Elkei, 48, figured he's been to around 70 Springsteen shows. He's even traveled to Paris to see one.

The tickets were presented to Elkei by the non-profit Buddy's HELPERS, which is the charitable arm of the Pepsi Showdown Soccer Tournament.

Buddy's HELPERS spokesman Joe Trost said Elkei had his soccer players work with special education students a couple of years ago and, "not only did it have an impact on his players, it had an impact on the special education students, and it also had an impact on their parents who realized they were part of a special moment."

Podcast

When Elkei was given the tickets in front of a couple of hundred students who were signing up for classes in the school gym, he pumped a fist into the air and shouted, "Bruce!"

Lockport Township High School spokeswoman Kim Brehm, who also knows Elkei as the parent of a former soccer player, said, "It's not just about winning for him. He is very big on character building."

For his own part, Elkei said, "As long as you're working hard, and you're giving your best, no matter what you're doing, win or lose, you're still going to be good knowing you gave your best."

Lockport sophomore Ally Fischer said he's the best coach she's had in the 13 years she's been playing soccer.

"He always motivates me to be better," she said. "His goal every season is not to win, but it's to just be positive and have fun; and it's to do good in school too."

Buddy's Helpers gives out tickets to high school student-athletes and to teacher/coaches each month.

Trost said the group gives out tickets as awards, because "we want to tie an emotional event to the award. So when they think about the event, the emotion ties back to the award."

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.