93: Todd Fitz-Gerald - Stoneman Douglas HS (FL)

Todd Fitz-Gerald - Stoneman Douglas High School

 

Bio

• Current HC Stoneman Douglas HS (FL)
• Stoneman Douglas ended a historic 2021 season being ranked the #1 HS team in the nation by Perfect Game (#2 Baseball America) 
• 2021 National Head Coach of the Year (his 3rd time, 2016 & 2008)
• 2021 Florida State Coach of the Year (2nd time)
• 2021 Florida state champion
  • 2nd state championship in 6 years
  • 3rd FL state championship
  • #1 in the country
• Former HC at American Heritage
  • Florida state champion (2008)
  • 2008 All USA COY
• Overall record of 446-119, .789 winning percentage
• His teams have been in the top 50 in the country 12 years in his 20 years as HC
• 32 players have been drafted into professional baseball
• Man of integrity, high character, and teaches life lessons

Notes

• More interactions with kids, more patience since the school shooting
• Let assistant coaches coach, so he can float around and talk to each position
• Don’t ever feel like you have to call me to come back to practice. You are always welcome
• Open door policy - promote guys as much as possible
• Sports are the best thing to bring people together
• Tragedy to triumph
• You need to have luck
• Baseball is a game that teaches you perseverance, failure, tough, level headed
• So many life lessons
• Toy drive for Joe Dimaggio hospital
• Rizzo walk for cancer
• Hang lights for foster kids
• Far major things in life than winning and losing games
• Want players to be the best version of yourself and don’t be anything different
• My resume is because of the players who have played for me
• INAM - Its Not About Me 
• QAB - write down their at bat and grade it
  • A or F
  • Result
  • Pitch, count, tendency chart
• Won’t tolerate after striking out and not giving love to other teammates. Being a bad teammate
• 20 minute meeting prior to practice to go over game night before
• Just because it is not D1 does not mean you are not a Dude!
• What is the best fit for you??!
• Decisions needs to be made on more than just baseball - school, baseball, academics, social, distance, etc
• Do you have a list of questions to ask coaches when recruiting?
• Chart and intersquad to be competitive
  • Not just result - hard 90? You getting out of the box? You standing on 2 when you pop up?
• 4.3 seconds or less on the infield to make a play
• Intense at practice, relax at games - don’t make me coach you today!!! You have competed all week.  
• The only team that can beat us is us!
• Competitive Pitchers 
  • Get outs!
  • Control the running game
  • There is a lot more than throwing the ball 60’6”
  • Control emotion, stay in the moment, know you are the best guy on the mound
• Challenge period - all hitters around turtle, guy on the mound, runner at 2B, defense, 1 out
  • Guys who have not done well in certain things well
• Pitching and defense win championships, offense wins games
• We will eliminate the inner third and look outside and over the plate and take advantage of mistakes
• Some years we bunt, some years we don’t!
• Try not to coach the first 4-5 innings
• I don’t want to coach on game days
• In the fall everyone has the green light
  • How are you going to know if you don’t go??
• I don’t want them to rely on coaches to make decisions and then we will talk about it
• Its the only thing in life you can fail and be considered great
• Allow yourself to be successful, stop pouting
• Its not about you!
• Athletics roll the school system, and starts with the football team to have a good year
  • Good AD
  • Administration support
  • Booster club - all fundraising is ran through own booster club
    • Banners, hit a thon, dinner with a pro
• Bring excitement to the program
  • Wall of fame
  • Facility upgrade - fences and windscreen
  • Cover the batting cages
  • Clubhouse
• I want them to go off to college and BE READY!!! They are college ready is the best compliment I can get!
• 954-295-6878
• fitzyt17@gmail.com
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