James J. Fitzpatrick Trophy
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Written by Chad Gilley www.gilleymedia.com February 16, 2005 Every Thanksgiving hundreds of Portlanders flock to the football field by the highway known as Fitzpatrick Stadium to see the annual renewal of the cross-town football rivalry that has endured since 1911 between the Portland Bulldogs and the Deering Rams. While many of the older people will know for whom the stadium is named, younger folks and more recent arrivals may not realize that James J. Fitzpatrick was one of the most respected figures in Maine athletic history. See the rest of Chad’s article here (downloaded as MHTML format) |
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The State of Maine Chapter of the National Football Foundation The State of Maine Chapter Website President: Jack Cosgrove Established: 1988 |
The State of Maine Chapter’s primary mission is to 'promote amateur football' at all competitive levels. In doing so the chapter hopes to increase the number of schools and young men playing the game, and also teach coaches basic skills and fundamentals. At the annual scholar-athlete dinner, 18 outstanding young men who have brought honor to their individual schools are recognized. A Distinguished American and a Contributor to Amateur Football, along with a football official and the high school coach of the year also receive awards.
The chapter is the support organization for the "James Fitzpatrick Dinner." This affair is for Maine’s high school equivalent of the Heisman Trophy, signifying the best football player in the state. An NFL-NFF Coaching Academy is held each June at Bowdoin College. A golf tournament at Turner Highland Golf Club is for the benefit of scholarship monies. A Play It Smart program is in place at Messalonskee High School.
Mission: Our mission is to promote and develop the power of amateur football in developing the qualities of leadership, sportsmanship, competitive zeal and the drive for academic excellence in America’s young people.
We will fulfill this mission in the following ways:
1. By inspiring young people to excellence: holding up the greatest players and coaches in the history of the game as role models and enshrining them and their achievements in the College Football Hall of Fame.
2. By exciting young people, and those who influence them, about the game: in particular, managing the College Football Hall of Fame in such a way as to dramatize the history, exhilaration and value of the game to an ever broadening audience of fans and potential fans.
3. By developing, managing and promoting model football programs, which further strengthen the educational and character building qualities of the game.
4. By honoring, publicizing and providing financial support to high school and college football players who represent our ideal of the scholar-athlete.
5. By continuing a grassroots movement, through local chapters, while involving football fans, coaches, educators, the media and former players in the implementation of the programs, which will fulfill our mission for America’s youth.
Through this mission, The Foundation serves not only youth, but the nation as well.
Additional Information: With 120 chapters and over 12,000 members nationwide, The National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame, a not-for-profit educational organization, runs programs designed to use the power of amateur football in developing scholarship, citizenship and athletic achievement in America’s young people. NFF programs include the College Football Hall of Fame in South Bend, Ind., Play It Smart, The NFF Center for Youth Development Through Sport at Springfield College (Mass.), and scholarships of nearly $1 million for College and High School Scholar-Athletes.
Content courtesy of the State of Maine Chapter of the National Football Foundation.
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| Year | Recipient | School | ||
| 2023 | Noah Carpenter | Leavitt | ||
| 2022 | Eli Soehren | Oxford Hills | ||
| 2021 | Caden McDuffie | Cape Elizabeth | ||
| 2019 | Justin Bryant | Marshwood | ||
| 2018 | Tyler Bridge | Wells | ||
| 2017 | Owen Garrard | Scarborough | ||
| 2016 | Michael Laverriere | Thornton Academy | ||
| 2015 | Joe Esposito | Portland | ||
| 2014 | Brett Gerry | Marshwood | ||
| 2013 | Ben Lucas | Cony | ||
| 2012 | Donald Goodrich | Cheverus | ||
| 2011 | Jordan Hersom | Leavitt | ||
| 2010 | Peter Gwilym | Cheverus | ||
| 2009 | Jack Mallis | Windham | ||
| 2008 | Nate Doehler | Bonny Eagle | ||
| 2007 | Jack Hersom | Lawrence | ||
| 2006 | Jared Turcotte | Lewiston | ||
| 2005 | John Weichman | Bonny Eagle | ||
| 2004 | Nicolas Tymoczko | Bucksport | ||
| 2003 | Phil Bourassa | Biddeford | ||
| 2002 | Carl Frye | Portland | ||
| 2001 | Lee St. Hilaire | Winthrop | ||
| 2000 | Jason O'Tash | Massabesic | ||
| 1999 | Kevin Bougie | Sanford | ||
| 1998 | Robert Parisien | Biddeford | ||
| 1997 | Nate Sergent | Gardiner | ||
| 1996 | Dustin Ireland | Mt. Blue | ||
| 1995 | Joe D'Andrea | Portland | ||
| 1994 | Jeremy Tardiff | Oxford Hills | ||
| 1993 | Mike Hamel | Waterville | ||
| 1992 | Bert Rich | South Portland | ||
| 1991 | Art Leveris | Thornton Academy | ||
| 1990 | John St. Onge | Biddeford | ||
| 1989 | Steve Knight | Marshwood | ||
| 1988 | Kirk Mathieu | Lawrence | ||
| 1987 | Brian Seguin | Lewiston | ||
| 1986 | Bob Giroux | Thornton Academy | ||
| 1985 | Gerry Gelinas | Biddeford | ||
| 1984 | Scott Woodward | Biddeford | ||
| 1983 | Shaun Hawkins | Portland | ||
| 1982 | Mike Rutherford | Portland | ||
| 1981 | Dan Federico | South Portland | ||
| 1980 | Claude Leclair | Biddeford | ||
| 1979 | Pat Philippon | Bangor | ||
| 1978 | Tony Matoin | Sanford | ||
| 1977 | Gerry Raymond | Lewiston | ||
| 1976 | Paul Belanger | Sanford | ||
| 1975 | Mike Edwards | Bangor | ||
| 1974 | Josh Waldman | Waterville | ||
| 1973 | Pete McCarty | Bangor | ||
| 1972 | Marty Milligan | Rumford | ||
| 1971 | Ron Marchand | Biddeford | ||
