WINTER PARK, Fla. (CBS12) — A pillar of a Central Florida community received the surprise of a lifetime Saturday when a crowd of players and families gathered to honor a man who has spent decades on the sidelines.
Coach Kenny Hodges walked into Gator’s Dockside expecting a meal but was instead met with a cheering section of former players, coaches, and parents spanning over his 30-year career.
Hodges is a military veteran and a legendary figure for the Winter Park Tigers, according to WESH. He has also served as both a coach and commissioner for the Pop Warner program.
“If it wasn’t for Kenny and a couple of other coaches, I don’t think we’d still be around right now,” said fellow coach Anthony Hurd.
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The ceremony began as a lifetime achievement award, but the community had another play up their sleeve.
Fundraiser organizer Katie Shouvlin says she noticed that Hodges struggled getting to away games because of his unreliable vehicle, often catching rides to make kickoff.
In a collaborative secret, Shouvlin and the community raised $20,000 to surprise Hodges with a new car — ensuring the coach who’s spent decades getting others to the game now has a reliable ride of his own.
“We’ve had kids that are in middle school give out of their savings account just because they’re like, ‘We’re going to help Coach Kenny? Of course, we’ll do anything for Coach Kenny,” Shouvlin told WESH.
As the crowd chanted his name and led him outside to his new car, an emotional Hodges expressed his disbelief.
“It’s beautiful, man, I didn’t know all these people cared about me,” the Coach said while behind the wheel of his new car, adding that it was one of the best days of his life.
