Epping/Newmarket hires Fitzmaurice

By rbrown
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Updated: May 20, 2016

Chuck Fitzmaurice, an assistant with the Epping/Newmarket program for the last two seasons, has been elevated to the program’s head coach. His hiring became official Thursday night.

Fitzmaurice replaces Justin Leonard, who resigned at Epping/Newmarket earlier this year to take over as Kingswood’s head coach. Epping/Newmarket had a 5-11 record during Leonard’s two seasons with the program. The Blue Devils finished 2-6 in Division III last season.

“I’m coming into a good situation,” Fitzmaurice said. “We have a small, but talented senior class. The junior class is the one that drives the program.”

Fitzmaurice, 50, played football at Kean University in Hillside, N.J. He spent one season as an assistant at Manchester West before joining Leonard’s staff at Epping/Newmarket. Fitzmaurice has also coached football at the youth level with the Manchester East Cobras and the Derry Demons. He said Epping/Newmarket will run a spread offense, and use a base 3-4 defense.

In addition to coaching stability, what Epping/Newmarket needs more than anything is to unite the two communities when it comes to football, Fitzmaurice said.

“The biggest thing we’re trying to do with the program is emphasize what we call 2-1-1: two schools, one team and one goal,” he said. “One problem we’ve had is not being able to get both communities to come together.”