SXU Alum Receives 2023 Coaches Award
Saint Xavier University (SXU) alum Todd Kuska '95 has received the 2023 Coaches Award from the Central Officials Association, one of the oldest and largest officiating groups in the U.S. Kuska, who recently retired from coaching the St. Rita of Cascia High School football team after 25 years and is the longest-tenured coach in the school's history, has built his life around positively impacting young players.
"I am deeply honored to accept an award from the Central Officials Association since they are tasked with maintaining the integrity of the game of football. I've worked side-by-side with this organization my entire career, so to be honored in my last season meant a lot to me. As a coach, you strive to be a role model for your players and show them the proper way to not only play the game of football, but how to handle yourself in the real world," said Kuska.
Kuska holds the honor of being the first official football player at SXU. After being forced from the field with an injury early on in the initial season, he remained with the team as a student assistant. Kuska majored in nursing while at Saint Xavier and after graduating, he worked in the field for several months before changing careers. He was initially drawn to nursing because his mother had been a nurse for over 40 years and he was interested in helping individuals in their most vulnerable states.
Though it was a hard decision for him to walk away from nursing, he didn't want to give up coaching and being part of a team, so he began teaching science and coaching football at St. Rita, a career he loved and excelled in. He led the football program to a state championship in 2006 and second-place finishes in 2019 and 2021.
"Working with the students was a privilege. I can only hope that I was a positive influence in the lives of the thousands of students that I coached. It was not about winning and losing – it was about life lessons and personal relationships and growth," said Kuska.
Kuska is grateful for the stellar learning environment and individualized attention he received at SXU, which he credits for helping to prepare him for his career. He found that his instructors were caring and helpful and that the faculty and staff went above and beyond in preparing students for success.
Some of his favorite memories from his time at SXU include his time as a coach and beating a future NFL quarterback from Trinity in snow in the fall of 1995. Kuska was also able to travel to Germany with the football team.
Kuska is a member of the Chicago Catholic League Hall of Fame, Illinois High School Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame, and the St. Rita Hall of Fame.
Though Kuska has retired from coaching, he will continue to teach at St. Rita and plans to spend some free time with his wife, Sheri, and watch sons Jake and Joey graduate from college. He hasn't completely ruled out coaching again in the future and looks forward to the opportunities that will come his way.