Connor Fitzgerald Q&A

 Meet Student-Athlete Connor Fitzgerald 

Student-Athlete Connor Fitzgerald is in his senior season on the Men's Lacrosse Team. Connor plans on getting his masters in Finance in spring 2022. Fitzgerald is a four-year varsity player under head coach Rory Whipple at Tampa. Fitzgerald is originally from Rochester, New York, and has made a huge transition living in cold Rochester for 18 years to now sunny Tampa. Fitzgerald has done a great job the last four years balancing the student-athlete life. 

Q: Is being a student-athlete at Tampa a stressful task?

A: Being a student-athlete here at Tampa has been a huge honor going into my senior season. Being able to balance the life of school and lacrosse is 100% definitely a stressful task. Being at run and lift 8-9:30am Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, and having practice 6-8pm Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and let's not forget about those early Saturday morning practices. I have class in between all of these time slots. Going into spring we are together Monday-Friday 2-6pm with class surrounding that. I am used to the stress. I had to learn time management quickly. 

Q: How has being in a COVID-19 era affected your team? 

A: For our lifts, we spread them out through time slots and class schedules. For example, since I have class stacked on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, I have to lift with a group of eight guys in the school gym; not athletic. This is tough because I don't get the coaching from the athletic gym staff, but I have been here so long I know how the lift work, and I can lead the younger guys. We are in small groups during practice wearing masks and so do the coaches. We get COVID tested once a week to follow CDC guidelines. Hopefully, we have a season. 

Q: Have you ever been in a spot where you wanted to leave the team? 

A: Tampa Lacrosse is definitely known for kids coming and going. I mean look at you Bobbo, you left the team, but you are working and I get that. There was a time a couple years ago where I put on JV for two weeks. I thought I deserved better and decided to leave the team because I needed a break. With support from my friends and teammates, I decided to work my way back up. I got put on varsity in the spring which proved to me that if I can push past mental blocks that can help me not only on the field but in life. 

Q: What is a weakness of yours being a student-athlete?

A: Like I said before, I am pretty used to being a student-athlete and knowing how to manage time. Honestly, the biggest struggle is recovering your body through sleep. Us lacrosse players are so busy with lacrosse as it is that we sometimes have to have late nights studying and doing homework. I have had plenty of nights that I fall asleep by 2 am because of school work and get up at 7:30 am for a full day of lacrosse and school. Sleeping in on Sunday's is definitely one of my favorite things in life. 

Q: Can you give any advice for incoming Freshman next year?

A: Stay humble. The coaches and returning players don't care where you are from. You could be from Long Island and have set your high school record for goals, assists, and points, but when you step on that field representing the Tampa Spartans, you are part of something greater than that. Also, get your schoolwork done. To be an eligible student-athlete here you have to get a 2.0 GPA. Strive beyond that because lacrosse is not going to pay the bills. Get your degree with a good GPA.