Back when Eagles kicker Jake Elliott worried more about breaking serve than breaking the record for a storied NFL franchise’s longest field goal, he taught tennis to kids for the Western Springs Park District.

One of his more memorable pupils was Kelli O’Laughlin, a vibrant teenager who loved the sport — as well as her four dogs, online video games, the color purple and singer Taylor Swift.

“She was a couple of years younger than me but we both were big tennis players and I had the opportunity to coach her a little bit,’’ Elliott recalled this week.

Elliott mourned the loss of his Lyons Township classmate in October 2011 with the rest of the community when 14-year-old Kelli was murdered at her family’s Indian Park Head home during a burglary. The tragedy left a profound impression on everyone in the La Grange area and the memory of Kelli stays alive among those who miss her most, as Elliott’s gesture after the NFC championship game underscored.

After the Eagles beat the Vikings to advance to Super Bowl LII against the Patriots, Elliott announced on Twitter that proceeds from sales of T-shirts at his personal website — jakeelliott4.com — would go to the Kelli Joy Foundation in O’Laughlin’s name.

“Jake messaged me, ‘Did you see my tweet?’ And I was like, ‘Yes I did’ — it was surreal and such an honor,’’ said Brenda O’Laughlin, Kelli’s mother. “For him to be thinking about Kelli after one of the most important moments of his life I felt blessed because of the impact Kelli had on his life. I’m still speechless.’’

On professional sports’ biggest stage, Elliott made it personal.

“I kind of had an idea there to put those proceeds toward something within the community,’’ said Elliott, who just turned 23. “That foundation, knowing (Kelli) and her family, that is something that means a lot to me and I remember those days back in high school when that tragedy happened, just how much that touched the community.’’

A goal of selling 100 T-shirts expanded to 300 until demand increased orders beyond 1,000, according to organizers. A final tally likely will push the total even higher, but this was a noble act for the way Elliott raised spirits, not necessarily funds.

“If we raised a dollar or a thousand, for him to think of Kelli means more than any money we bring in,’’ O’Laughlin said.

It provided a poignant reminder that Elliott never will forget where he came from, even after a rookie season suggesting he’s headed places nobody back home ever imagined.

“It’s so improbable that, if it were a fictional story, people wouldn’t buy it because it’s too corny,’’ Lyons Township football coach Kurt Weinberg said.

Locals know the first scene well: Elliott grew up playing soccer and tennis before accidentally falling into football. During a pep rally as a freshman in 2009, Elliott came out of the bleachers when he was picked randomly to attempt a field goal. A natural tennis player who never would be accused of burning himself out, Elliott nonchalantly booted the kick through the uprights from about 30 yards. Elliott never even told his family about that feat when he got home that night. But Weinberg never forgot the sound of that thud.

Elliott returned to tennis but began kicking more, with tennis coach Bill Wham staying after practice to shag footballs.

“He had two bags with racquets by the football field and kids would be like, ‘What’s all this tennis stuff doing over here?’ ’’ Wham said. “I’d say, ‘That’s his. And this guy is good — really good.’ ’’

Before Elliott’s junior year, Weinberg answered his kicking questions by asking Elliott about changing sports. By homecoming, Elliott had kicked a 52-yard game-winner. By the end of his short but spectacular high school career, the kid who grew up idolizing former Bears kicker Robbie Gould was headed to Memphis on scholarship.

“It was a serendipitous event — we needed help in the kicking game and Jake was there,’’ Weinberg said.

At Memphis, Elliott only enhanced his growing legend. He graduated as the Tigers’ all-time leader in points, field goals and consecutive extra points, breaking school records set by his Sunday counterpart, Patriots kicker Stephen Gostkowski, who became a mentor during trips back to campus.

“Jake was so good that it was nice to have him out there and learn from him and him learn from me,’’ Gostkowski said.

Everybody can learn from Elliott’s resilience. On Sept. 2, the Bengals kept veteran Randy Bullock and cut Elliott — whom they drafted in the fifth round. Eight days later, Eagles kicker Caleb Sturgis suffered a strained quadriceps. On Sept. 12, the Eagles signed Elliott off the Bengals practice squad — and the rest became history when he kicked a 61-yard game-winning field goal against the Giants in his second NFL game.

Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz lost the game check he promised Elliott if he made the field goal, but now the team has come to count on the kid from Lyons Township who is one kick away from Super Bowl immortality.

“We’re unbelievably proud,’’ said Bruce Elliott, Jake’s dad.

Bruce described fighting back tears reading a letter about Jake from Virginia Tech coach Justin Fuente, who coached Elliott at Memphis.

“Justin has three daughters and he wrote, ‘One day, I hope my daughters come through the door with someone like Jake,’ ’’ Bruce said. “I’m fortunate to have a great kid.’’

From eastern Pennsylvania to Western Springs, they couldn’t agree more.

dhaugh@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @DavidHaugh

Haugh: You don’t have to be a fan of the Patriots or Tom Brady to appreciate their excellence »

Post-Bears career has been more than Eagles' Corey Graham could have dreamed »

EIU's Kamu Grugier-Hill takes path less traveled to Super Bowl LII »