Northeast Region - NFF Capital District (NY) Chapter
The former president and current board member of the NFF
Capital District Chapter, Nick Fitzgerald has been devoted to football and giving back to amateur football players throughout the Northeast for the last 26 years.
A team captain on the football team while attending Watervliet High School in New York, Fitzgerald went on to play for two seasons at Siena College (NY) while earning a bachelor's degree in 1992 and a certification in teaching in 1999. He later completed a master's degree in curriculum, development, and teaching from the University at Albany in 2003 and just recently obtained a doctorate of education online from Capella University.
Fitzgerald's lengthy coaching history includes stints at his former high school, Watervliet High School, where he was an assistant coach from 1991-1996 and head coach for 10 years from 1997-2006. Fitzgerald's other coaching assignments included stops in the Arena Football League (AFL), South Glens Falls High School (NY), Colonie High School (NY), Columbia High School (NJ) and Cairo-Durham High School (NY). Fitzgerald has served on the board of the New York State High School Football Coaches Association since 2000 and as president from 2016-19. He also served on the executive board of Section 2 Athletics from 2011-19, serving as the president from 2015-17. He currently serves as the Superintendent of Schools at Canajoharie Central School District in New York.
A member of the NFF
Capital District Chapter since 1998, Fitzgerald has played an integral role in the chapter's success. After serving as the chapter president from 1998-2016, Fitzgerald has served as a board member the last three years. In his time with the Chapter he has been heavily involved in organizing the annual scholar dinner, football combine and coaching clinic. Fitzgerald also played a role in overseeing the operations of the Capital Region Hall of Fame, and helped to coordinate the financial operations of the NFF
Capital District Chapter.
"I was a 5'6 – 285-pound eighth grade student who was mentored by a coach/teacher and pushed me to join modified football," said Fitzgerald. "I was not a very good athlete and struggled with my self-esteem. The game of football gave me the skills and traits to be able to conquer anything life throws at me. The dedication, commitment, teamwork, perseverance and preparation that football entails taught me to translate all of that into my daily life. Being a part of the NFF allowed me to give back to the game that has given me so much."
Fitzgerald lives in Albany, New York, with his wife, Stephanie, and their two daughters, Keira and Nicole. He enjoys golfing and hiking, and is passionate about helping to build an improved school district using the skills and attributes that he learned through his experiences in football.
