David Otero
Sports Editor
Fitzgerald is a tight end for the Pioneers who has five receptions for 32 yards and one touchdown receiving, as well as a fumble recovery for a touchdown Week 1 against Clarion this season.
Q: What was your personal best moment (career highlight) as a member of the Pioneers?
A: My personal best moment could be two different occasions. Being selected as second team all PSAC East Tight End last year after my first season as a Pioneer or the home opener this season against Clarion when I had a fumble recovery for a 70-yard touchdown. I have scored a lot of touchdowns in my career but this one was special not only because it was such a long run but because it was my first TD as a Pioneer.
Q: What was the most memorable game you were a part of as a member of LIU?
A: I think that the most memorable game I have been a part of as a Pioneer so far had to be last season when we traveled to Bloomsburg. Not only were we getting ready to face the number two ranked team in the country in Division II, but we had an unexpected surprise when Mother Nature decided to spit out at least a foot and a half of snow during the course of the game. We adapted very well and ended up taking down Bloomsburg.
Q: What has being a Pioneer meant to you?
A: Being a Pioneer has meant everything to me. I have been to three other colleges and between NCAA clearinghouse issues and politics within other football programs, I really never got the opportunities to succeed in a game that the Athletic Department and the coaching staff have given me here. Being a Pioneer also means a lot to me off of the field. I have some great friends in my teammates, some of which I know will be in my life in 10 years. I have also had the opportunity to create relationships with people who make me feel special no matter what situation life throws at me just by being in my life, but more importantly have taught me how to be a better man.
Q: What are you going to miss most about LIU Post?
A: I will miss the good times hanging out with friends. I will miss going to other athletic events, cheering for my fellow athletes. I will miss the pep rallies. I will miss the smell of the fans tailgating as we warm up for a game. I will miss the war cries from the men that I have bled with, sweated with, celebrated with, and cried with. But most of all, I think I will miss looking across the field, seeing my teammates and knowing they have my back as I have theirs just because I see in their eyes the same intensity and love for game that I have.
Q: If you could be a part of any NFL team who would it be with and why?
A: Honestly I would be on any team that would allow me to continue to play the greatest game in the world, but if I could choose I would have to say the Carolina Panthers because I am from North Carolina and have always been a fan of the Panthers.
Q: What do you hope to do in the future after this season?
A: In the future after this season I hope to continue to play football whether that is for the CFL, AFL or NFL. That has always been my dream and goal. I will be earning my degree in Criminal Justice so if football does not work out, then I have that to fall back on. In due time, I would love to get married and have a family.
Q: Most memorable quote/best piece of advice you’ve heard while being a member of the Pioneers?
A: “Look at a stone cutter hammering away at his rock, perhaps a hundred times without as much as a crack showing in it. Yet at the hundred-and-first blow it will split in two, and I know it was not the last blow that did it, but all that had gone before.” Jacob A. Riis (1849-1914)
I have heard Brian Hughes, the offensive coordinator and offensive line coach, mention this quote several times over the course of my career at Post. This quote has a lot to do with football and life. To me, it shows the need to press on and push through the hard parts of life because when you get out of the hard place it won’t be because of that single action or decision that you just made. It will be because of all that led up to it.
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