Coach Todd Fitz-Gerald - Head Coach

In 2021, with 532 high school baseball teams in Florida and 14,988 in the United States all vying for state and national titles, it’s no small feat that Head Coach Todd Fitz-Gerald led his Marjory Stoneman Douglas Eagles varsity baseball team in Parkland, FL, to out-best them all, winning both the Florida state and national championships. Through his leadership, the Eagles closed the season with an impressive 28-2 record – and a top national ranking Fitz-Gerald clinched for the 3nd time since 2008. These accomplishments earned him the ‘National High School Baseball Coach of the Year’ award – his third time receiving the coveted title.

 

“The American Baseball Coaches Association’s All America and Coach of the Year Committee selected Coach Todd Fitz-Gerald for the highest honor in 2021, not only for being a top-notch champion, but also because he’s a man of integrity, high moral character, sportsmanship and he cares about teaching his players these important life lessons that will make them future stewards of our great game of baseball and the caretakers of our families, communities, and nation,” said Craig Keilitz, Executive Director of the ABCA.

 

Currently, Coach Fitz-Gerald is entering his 29th season coaching high school baseball, his 21st as Head Coach. Fall 2021 marks his 11th season as Head Coach at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, prior to which he served as Head Coach for 10 seasons at his alma mater, American Heritage in Plantation, FL. Throughout his coaching career, Coach Fitz-Gerald has led his teams to an impressive overall record of 446-119 – a remarkable .789 winning percentage. 

 

Coach Fitz-Gerald’s baseball teams have competed in the state playoffs for 19 consecutive years and have ranked in the top 50 teams in the country 12 of those years. During that time, his teams have won 15 district championships titles, six regional championships, three state championships, and in 2008, 2016 and 2021, three national championship titles. Coach Fitz-Gerald was named “Coach of the Year” nine times in the past 13 years, and he was awarded National High School Baseball Coach of the Year in 2008, 2016 and 2021 by the ABCA, Baseball America, and USA Today. In addition to these prestigious nods, Coach Fitz-Gerald is proud that 32 of his players have been drafted in the professional baseball draft, with his most notable players including 1st baseman for the  San Diego Padres Eric Hosmer; pitcher for the Miami Marlins Jesús Luzardo; 3rd baseman for the Colorado Rockies Colton Welker; and shortstop for the Miami Marlins Deven Marrero.

 

A longtime resident of Broward County, Coach Fitz-Gerald and his wife, Colleen, have been married for 24 years and have two sons, Hunter 20 and Devin 16, both of whom have earned notable achievements as MSD Eagles baseball players. In 2019, Hunter’s home-run record earned him “Player of the Year” by the Sun-Sentinel, after which he was drafted by the Colorado Rockies, but elected to play college baseball as a 3rd baseman at Florida Southern. Devin currently plays shortstop for the Varsity team at Marjory Stoneman Douglas. Coach Fitz-Gerald also has a notable history playing baseball. As a left-handed pitcher in high school at American Heritage, he went on to play at Lincoln Memorial University in Tennessee, where he earned a degree in Education and was recently inducted into the College’s Athlete’s Hall of Fame.

 

Coach wishes to thank his family for supporting his role. “My wife is the one who steers the ship, it takes a very special person to be a coach’s wife. Without her support – and that of my coaching staff, students and administration – none of this would be possible.” When asked why he hasn’t yet entertained offers to coach in Major League Baseball, he said, “I love coaching high school baseball, it keeps me young. I like influencing and motivating kids to become the best they can be and watching them progress from boys to responsible young men.”
 

The Fitz-Geralds live in Margate, FL, and enjoy family time in the mountains of North Carolina.