Naperville North senior Maggie Fitzgerald exerts a strong pull on those within her orbit.
Some, such as Naperville North coach Steve Goletz, get emotional when talking about her, while others are exuberant. But no one who meets Fitzgerald walks away unaffected.
“Maggie is a confident kid but in the right way,” Goletz said. “She lights up a room when she walks in. She has the ability to make everyone smile and be happy even in their darkest moments, and she’s just got such a great perspective on life.”
Perhaps that is because Fitzgerald’s darkest moment came early in her life. She was only 3 when her father, Raymond, died of stage 4 stomach cancer.
“I think it plays a lot into my whole life,” Fitzgerald said. “My life is dictated by my experiences and the way I look at the world. I don’t really have a lot of memories of him, and that’s kind of hard because I was so little. So it’s more of a hole.”
Fitzgerald, a co-captain for the Huskies alongside forward Cameron DeCook, considers Goletz and assistant Jim Konrad to be father figures.
“Truly, Goletz and Konrad are the best coaches I’ve ever had in my life,” Fitzgerald said. “They’re such good people. They care so much.
“That’s the support I needed in my life, and I look up to them so much. I’m proud to say that I play for them, and that’s a huge part of how much I’m able to dial up for this team.”
Fitzgerald, a three-year starter who can play multiple positions in the midfield and on defense, has answered Goletz’s call for leadership in a big way. She and DeCook are the only returning starters, yet the Huskies (7-3-1), who will host New Trier in the Naperville Invitational quarterfinals at 7 p.m. Thursday, continue to win.
“Maggie cares so much about this program and making sure that the legacy of this program continues,” Goletz said. “She is who you want to represent your program.
“She’s also a fantastic soccer player. She’s so good technically, and she gives every ounce of what she has every game.”
That has endeared Fitzgerald to her teammates.
“Maggie is probably one of the most loyal people I’ve ever met,” Cameron DeCook said. “She’s very observant and picks up on body language and attitude. Any time she sees anybody down, she’s right there to pick them up. She’ll always be there for you on the field or off the field.”
Fitzgerald and her family are building a strong legacy on and off the field. Her older sister, Nora, played on Naperville North’s 2019 state championship team, and her younger sister, Lucy, is on the junior varsity team.
Their mother, Kristin, is president of the District 203 Board of Education. That has whetted Maggie Fitzgerald’s desire for public service.
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She is managing editor of the school newspaper, The North Star, for which she said she writes a food column and does “a lot of editing.” She also hosts a health podcast called “The Health Knockout.”
Those activities are preparing Fitzgerald for the next phase of her life. While undecided on a college, she is planning to major in political science and minor in journalism.
“I’m really interested in public policy, specifically with a focus on social justice,” she said. “I think journalism plays really well into that, understanding the importance of reporting and truth. I can see myself ending up somewhere on Capitol Hill.”
Wherever Fitzgerald ends up, Goletz can see her shining.
“She’s going to be so successful at whatever she does because she gets the balance between serious and fun and what is important and what’s not important,” Goletz said. “She doesn’t focus on things that are out of her control.”
Yet Fitzgerald manages to control plenty for the Huskies.
“She’s very reliable,” freshman forward Claire DeCook said. “She’s just super positive. If somehow we are losing, she just keeps the energy high and she cheers everyone on.”
The cheering will stop for Fitzgerald after this season, at least on the field. She has decided not to play college soccer.
“I’ve always known what I wanted to do with my life,” she said. “I love politics, and I think I want my college experience to be a steppingstone in terms of my career.
“I love high school soccer. This is a good way for me to go out.”
Matt Le Cren is a freelance reporter for the Naperville Sun.