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Tom Fitzgerald (soccer)
Encyclopedia
Tom Fitzgerald was an American
soccer
coach.
Fitzgerald played soccer at Hudson Valley Community College
before transferring to the University of South Florida
his junior season. He played soccer at USF and he graduated in 1974. In 1978, Jesuit High School in Tampa, Florida
hired Fitzgerald as the school's head coach. From 1978 to 1981, he led the team to two district championships and a 35-11-6 record.
He was hired by the University of Tampa
as an assistant coach in 1981 and became the team's head coach in 1987. He led the team to five Sunshine State Conference
championships and the 1994 NCAA Men's Division II Soccer Championship
over Oakland University
. During Fitzgerald's nine years as head coach, he compiled a 132-32-11 (75% winning percentage) record.
In 1996, the Columbus Crew
of Major League Soccer
hired Fitzgerald as an assistant coach. When the Crew head coach Timo Liekoski
resigned after a 6-16 start to the season, the team promoted Fitzgerald to head coach. He led the team to a 9-1 record over the last 10 games of the season. In 1998, he took the Crew to the U.S. Open Cup
where they lost to the Chicago Fire. When he was fired six games into the 2001 season, Fitzgerald had posted a 70-67-7 record.
In March 2002, Fitzgerald returned to the college ranks, this time with the Division I UCLA Bruins
. In his first season at UCLA, Fitzgerald led the team to an NCAA Men's Division I Soccer Championship. He became the first NCAA
Division I coach to win a title in his first year with a program. He was also just the third coach to win both Division I and II NCAA titles. He was named the 2002 NSCAA/adidas National Coach of the Year.
In 2004, Fitzgerald left UCLA to rejoin the University of Tampa where he began the season 6-9-1. Tom's main motivation for moving back to Tampa was to be closer to his family. On December 4, 2004, Fitzgerald was driving his motorcycle
to scout players at a youth soccer festival in Bradenton, Florida
when he was struck by an SUV
. Fitzgerald initially seemed to be all right, calling his wife after the accident. He was taken to Tampa General Hospital, but hemorrhaging occurred and Fitzgerald died during surgery to repair his torn aorta
. A memorial stone for Fitzgerald was unveiled at Columbus Crew Stadium
on April 2, 2005.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
soccer
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
coach.
Fitzgerald played soccer at Hudson Valley Community College
Hudson Valley Community College
Hudson Valley Community College, a SUNY associated two-year college, is located in Troy in Rensselaer County, New York. Although about eighty percent of the students are from the local area, the remainder are from other parts of New York, other states and from some 30 countries around the...
before transferring to the University of South Florida
University of South Florida
The University of South Florida, also known as USF, is a member institution of the State University System of Florida, one of the state's three flagship universities for public research, and is located in Tampa, Florida, USA...
his junior season. He played soccer at USF and he graduated in 1974. In 1978, Jesuit High School in Tampa, Florida
Tampa, Florida
Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
hired Fitzgerald as the school's head coach. From 1978 to 1981, he led the team to two district championships and a 35-11-6 record.
He was hired by the University of Tampa
University of Tampa
The University of Tampa , is a private, co-educational university in Downtown Tampa, Florida, United States. It is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. In 2006, the University celebrated its 75th anniversary...
as an assistant coach in 1981 and became the team's head coach in 1987. He led the team to five Sunshine State Conference
Sunshine State Conference
The Sunshine State Conference was originally formed in 1975 as an NCAA Division II men's basketball conference. It has since expanded to sponsor championships in 14 sports, including men's and women's basketball, baseball, men's and women's golf, women's rowing, men's and women's soccer, softball,...
championships and the 1994 NCAA Men's Division II Soccer Championship
NCAA Men's Division II Soccer Championship
The NCAA Division II Men's Soccer Championship has been played since 1972.The tournament is a 32-team, single-elimination tournament. The Division II tournament is structured around the eight NCAA regions . Four teams from each region are selected with no automatic qualifiers given...
over Oakland University
Oakland University
Oakland University is a public university co-founded by Matilda Dodge Wilson and John A. Hannah whose campus is located in central Oakland County, Michigan, United States in the cities of Auburn Hills and Rochester Hills. It is the only major research university in Oakland County, from which OU...
. During Fitzgerald's nine years as head coach, he compiled a 132-32-11 (75% winning percentage) record.
In 1996, the Columbus Crew
Columbus Crew
The Columbus Crew is an American professional soccer club based in Columbus, Ohio which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada...
of Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
hired Fitzgerald as an assistant coach. When the Crew head coach Timo Liekoski
Timo Liekoski
Timo Liekoski is a Finnish soccer coach who managed teams in the North American Soccer League, Major Indoor Soccer League, American Indoor Soccer Association and Major League Soccer...
resigned after a 6-16 start to the season, the team promoted Fitzgerald to head coach. He led the team to a 9-1 record over the last 10 games of the season. In 1998, he took the Crew to the U.S. Open Cup
Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup is a knockout tournament in American soccer. The tournament is the oldest ongoing American soccer competition and is presently open to all United States Soccer Federation affiliated teams, from amateur adult club teams to the professional clubs of Major League...
where they lost to the Chicago Fire. When he was fired six games into the 2001 season, Fitzgerald had posted a 70-67-7 record.
In March 2002, Fitzgerald returned to the college ranks, this time with the Division I UCLA Bruins
UCLA Bruins
The UCLA Bruins are the sports teams for University of California, Los Angeles . The Bruin men's and women's teams participate in NCAA Division I as part of the Pacific-12 Conference and the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation . For football, they are in the Football Bowl Subdivision of Division I...
. In his first season at UCLA, Fitzgerald led the team to an NCAA Men's Division I Soccer Championship. He became the first NCAA
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
Division I coach to win a title in his first year with a program. He was also just the third coach to win both Division I and II NCAA titles. He was named the 2002 NSCAA/adidas National Coach of the Year.
In 2004, Fitzgerald left UCLA to rejoin the University of Tampa where he began the season 6-9-1. Tom's main motivation for moving back to Tampa was to be closer to his family. On December 4, 2004, Fitzgerald was driving his motorcycle
Motorcycle
A motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...
to scout players at a youth soccer festival in Bradenton, Florida
Bradenton, Florida
Bradenton is a city in Manatee County, Florida, United States. The U.S. Census Bureau estimated the city's 2007 population to be 53,471. Bradenton is the largest Principal City of the Bradenton-Sarasota-Venice, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area, which had a 2007 estimated population of 682,833...
when he was struck by an SUV
Sport utility vehicle
A sport utility vehicle is a generic marketing term for a vehicle similar to a station wagon, but built on a light-truck chassis. It is usually equipped with four-wheel drive for on- or off-road ability, and with some pretension or ability to be used as an off-road vehicle. Not all four-wheel...
. Fitzgerald initially seemed to be all right, calling his wife after the accident. He was taken to Tampa General Hospital, but hemorrhaging occurred and Fitzgerald died during surgery to repair his torn aorta
Aorta
The aorta is the largest artery in the body, originating from the left ventricle of the heart and extending down to the abdomen, where it branches off into two smaller arteries...
. A memorial stone for Fitzgerald was unveiled at Columbus Crew Stadium
Columbus Crew Stadium
Columbus Crew Stadium is a soccer-specific stadium in Columbus, Ohio and the home stadium of Major League Soccer club, Columbus Crew. Built in 1999, Crew Stadium was the first soccer-specific stadium built for a professional soccer team in the second pro era of American soccer...
on April 2, 2005.