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Press Release Summary: Potential candidate for the Director of the County of Hawaii Pazks and Recreation Department, Bob Fitzgerald, has been a faithful Big Island resident for nearly 30 years. After two years on a football scholarship at Colorado State University, and graduating with a major in Environmental Planning and a minor in Political Science from San Diego State University, Bob moved to Kona in 1978 to start up a family flower business. Bob couldn't stay too long on the island before he found an opportunity to fulfill his love of sports, leading him to his life enjoyment on the island. After working as a Special Education teacher for a short time at Konawaena Highschool, Bob was asked to help out with the football team. He went on to contribute with 12 BIIF championships, including the start of the Ellison Onizuka Memorial football game and the Macadamia Nut Bowl, which evolved into the "Neighbor Island Playoffs." In 1992, he took the Konawaena Championship High School Football team to the first ever out of state exhibition games in Alaska. Bob tried to extend his love of football to more than just his high school players. He brought numerous football clinics to the Big Island through the University of Hawaii's football staff for the benefit of all football age groups in West Hawaii. He also coached the Kona Ikaika semi-pro football team from 1996 to 2002.- Not surprisingly, Bob's love of sports and kids led him to the Boazd of Directors of the West Hawaii Youth Council, in which he helped to secure government and private funding for the construction of the Old Kona Airport Baseball Parks, soccer and football fields, and assistance with Roller Hockey Rink. Bob also worked hard to bring speed and quickness camps to west Hawaii, as well as numerous coaching and youth clinics. He also worked in liaison with local government and other non-profit groups to work towards the common goals of creating beneficial and educational programs for the youth of West Hawaii, both privately and government financed. More recently, Bob has worked as a sales manager at Wyndham resorts for the past six years, while still managing to contribute his football input as an assistant coach for HPA for two championship years, as well as the 2008 championship year for the Konawaena football team. His fellow employers at Wyndham admit that Bob doesn't need to be on a football field to be a coach - he remains Coach Fitzgerald in the working field as well, offering many fiery, motivational pep talks to his coworkers as a means of inspiring some competitive work drive. Cleazly, from Bob Fitzgerald's work and coaching experience, he has a genuine passion to help out these kids by means of what he knows best-sports and the life lessons that accompany it. Coach Fitzgerald has proven to be more than just a sports coach, but an eager business advisor, as well, instilling his wisdom and life experience when needed. His success in sports, as well as in the business arena, suggests his competency stems from the fact that this is not just a football coach, but he's a life coach. Bob stresses that athletics is a way to help our island's youth. Evidently, he sees sports as the gateway to help these kids flourish. He's a man who cares. While we can clearly see his love for sports comprises a prominent role in his life, his true passion stems from the genuine concern for the betterment of our island's young athletes. Great change can only be dictated by sincerity -- Bob Fitzgerald exhibits this honest drive to advance our athletic, academic, and social interactions with our island's youth. His enthusiasm and intensity seems to be exactly what this island's recreational programs need.