Brian McBride

After three World Cup appearances with the U.S. team, MLS star and current Chicago Fire forward Brian McBride credits his high schol English teacher and soccer coach John Erfort as the person who taught him to remain grounded by helping him focus on his studies.

“When I first met Brian, he was more comfortable on the soccer field than in the classroom,.” recollects Mr. Erfort. “Once he discovered learning could be fun, however, he made great strides both as a student and as a soccer player.”

Behind Every Famous Person is a Fabulous Teacher.

Brian McBride and John Erfort

Brian McBride was born on June 19, 1972 and raised in Arlington Heights, Illinois, where he went to Buffalo Grove High School. In 1988, his junior year, Brian led his team to the Illinois state soccer championship. Later, when he signed a contract with Nike as a professional, Brian made sure to take care of his team by including the condition that the boys' varsity soccer team receive new uniforms every two years.

Brian graduated from St. Louis University in 1993. While there, McBride was a second team All American in 1992 and a first team All American in 1993. He was also selected and named MVP of the Great Midwest Conference three years in a row.

In 1996, Brian was taken as the first overall pick by the Columbus Crew in the Major League Soccer inaugural draft. He spent the next eight years with the team, amassing 62 goals and 45 assists in 161 league games. He was also named to the MLS All-Time Best XI.

While with the Crew, McBride spent two loan periods in England. The first was in 2000 with Preston North End. Two years later, Brian spent three months with Premier League club Everton, where he scored four goals in eight games.

In January 2004, English Premier League club Fulham bought McBride's rights from MLS for $1.5 million. Due to his reputation as a battler with a high work rate, Fulham continued to extend his contract through the 2007-08 season. Brian was Fulham’s top scorer for their 2006-07 Premier League campaign with twelve goals, and was given their captaincy in 2007. He also won Fulham’s Player of the Year award in 2007 and 2008, and became so popular that the club renamed a bar inside Craven Cottage "McBride's" in June 2009.

In 2008, Brian returned to the MLS, joining the Chicago fire in order to end his career in his hometown.

Throughout his career, Brian McBride was a significant player for the United States national team, earning ninety-six caps and scoring thirty goals. After making his international debut in 1993, Brian appeared in the 1998, 2002, and 2006 World Cups. He has the honor of being the only American ever to score goals in more than one World Cup.

After retiring from International football on July 26, 2006, McBride was named as one of the three overage players on the US Olympic Team in 2008 and served as captain.

John Erfort earned his Bachelor of Arts in English from Western Illinois University and his Master of Arts in Educational Supervision from Roosevelt University.

From 1970 to 1974 Mr. Erfort taught English at Saint Viator High School in Arlington Heights, IL. While there, he also worked as the assistant coach for the boys basketball team.

From 1974-2005, Mr. Erfort worked as both a teacher and a coach in various capacities at Buffalo Grove High School in Arlington Heights, IL. He taught classes on literature, reading, writing and speaking, as well as serving as a new teacher mentor. He also served on the Staff Development Committee. Mr. Erfort was the head boys soccer coach and the assistant coach for girls soccer, basketball and track and boys basketball.

As coach, Mr. Erfort was selected as Conference Soccer Coach of the Year six times, Illinois High School Coach of the Year in 1988 and Midwest National Coach of the Year in 1988.

Mr. Erfort has since retired.

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