Tom Fitzgerald

                Put a net in front of Cranford senior Tom Fitzgerald and good things usually happen. Whether it is the larger 8 yard wide by 8 foot high soccer goal, the 6 foot by 6 foot lacrosse goal or the miniscule 4 feet high and 6 feet wide hockey goal, Fitzgerald uses his feet, lacrosse stick and hockey stick to excel and is on track to finish his remarkable career with 12 varsity letters as well as a slew of memorable individual and team accomplishments.

                As is typical with three sport athletes, Fitzgerald’s favorite sport is the one that’s currently in season. Autumn obviously means soccer where the blonde 6 foot senior has been one of the mainstays for first year coach Greg Campbell.  Fitzgerald scored a goal in each of Cranford’s opening two wins but like the rest of the team has been blanked the past two games, both losses.  Campbell considers Fitzgerald one of his key players.

“We rely on Tom to set the tone for both possession and physicality in the central midfield.  Tom has great ball-handling skills and is improving quickly on his field vision and decision making, which opens up runs for his teammates as well as opportunities for shots from the top of the 18,” said Campbell.

                Fitzgerald experienced his greatest success to date during his freshman soccer season. Although he didn’t start, he saw a sizable amount of playing time and showed his potential battling the talented and experienced upperclassmen who paced Cranford to a 22-1-2 season and the school’s only county title. Although he wasn’t on the field for the 1-0 victory over Westfield, the victory still ranks as his most memorable moment from soccer.

“The feeling of victory was great my freshman year and that senior class really set the bar high for future CHS varsity squads,” said Fitzgerald, the youngest of four talented siblings.

                His sister Amy played Division I soccer at St. Joseph’s of Philadelphia, his sister Jenny was a multi -sport star and his brother Vince Jr. was also a talented Cranford athlete. His parents Vince and Julie were also athletes and have lived in Cranford for 30 years.  Having older athletic siblings helped Tom quickly progress and also was instrumental in being noticed at a young age by Head Lacrosse Coach Al Reinoso.

“I first heard about Tom being a gifted lacrosse player when he was a youth athlete about six or seven years ago.  One of our top players at that time dated his sister and used to play around with young Tommy and helped him become a dominant player even back then.  My players would watch his games and told me about his abilities back then,” said Reinoso, who plugged Fitzgerald into the lineup the first day of practice.

Fitzgerald made his talents known early and on Senior Night he scored three goals, including  the game winning overtime goal against arch-rival Johnson.

“It was huge because my my older brother was a senior, and it was great to have such a big part in the win,” recalled Fitzgerald.

“He is a very talented athlete and has what coaches call a nose for the goal in that he really knows how to finish off a scoring play, as well as generate and create a scoring play.   We will look to him to take charge on the field and for senior leadership this upcoming season,” added Reinoso.

                As a sophomore, Fitzgerald helped lead the Cougars to their only appearance in the county lacrosse finals, which provided him with one of his most indelible memories, a 4-3 semifinal upset against Westfield. Fitzgerald scored a goal in the game, but it was the team aspect that he will most remember.

“The overall feeling of getting that victory against our biggest rival made our whole team feel that we were on top of the world,” said Fitzgerald.

                Another victory over Westfield in the Cron Tournament was Fitzgerald’s greatest hockey memory. In a 6-5 overtime victory, Fitzgerald scored two goals and assisted on the winner.

“He is so fast and strong, and has such great hands that opponents have a difficult time matching up with him, therefore he is able to score a lot of goals in hockey.  If he can get to the net, he has a strong shot and the natural ability to shoot to score, rather than just shoot the puck on net.  Opposing goalies do not like it when he can get an open look at the net since his shot is not only hard, it is very accurate,” said Hockey Coach Rich Hurley, who first noticed Fitzgerald as a nine year old.

““He was always a standout on the hockey rink due to his skating ability and excellent hands.  He is a very athletic kid who is capable of excelling in a multitude of sports,” said Hurley.

“Tom has matured greatly since his freshman year.  I am very hopeful that this season he will be able to provide us with very mature, senior leadership.  It is impossible to win without good leadership.  This season will be Tom's opportunity to show his maturity and lead a large group of younger players,” added Hurley.

                Although his three sports encompass numerous divergent athletic skills, Fitzgerald can revel in the similarities and the differences.

“I love all my sports because they take a lot skill and finesse but at the same time they take speed and power. Soccer is the most finesse of the three but in hockey there is nothing like flying down the ice on a rush and in lacrosse, the fastest sport on foot, you always have to be reacting and thinking on your feet. I love competing no matter what and I hate losing way more than I love winning.”