Great story from the Shreveport Times...
Fitzwater's late brother to tag along at Tulsa
Roy Lang III
David Fitzwater can still feel the pain. It simply takes one glance at his hands.
“He taught me how to catch,” Fitzwater said.
As a kid, Fitzwater was on the receiving end of “bullets” from his big brother Daniel, then a blossoming quarterback prospect with a rifle right arm.
“He’d drill me,” David said. “I’d say, ‘Throw it a little harder.’ Your hands, you just couldn’t feel them.”
Remarkably, pain isn’t the word the Fitzwater family uses to describe the past four months.
Wednesday, the day David, who now employs those battered fingers as a tight end, signed to play football at the University of Tulsa, came exactly four months after the unexpected death of Daniel, a quarterback at ULM, at age 20.
During the time of disbelief, football was a valuable asset for David, a 6-foot-4, 225-pounder who played on both sides of the ball at Calvary Baptist Academy.
“It kept me busy; kept me focused on something,” David said.
Just days after his brother’s death, David took the field for the Cavaliers.
“He knew (football) had a structure, something he could control. He loved and had a passion for it,” Calvary head coach John Bachman said. “You saw a bigger determination from him. You just don’t want to talk -- at least he just had a football game to play.
“That courage comes from that family.”
Mike Fitzwater, a father of three boys and one girl with wife, Kelli, believes every aspect of football helped David deal with the family’s sudden loss.
“He really enjoys the team aspect, the relationships with the other kids,” Mike said. “That’s where we all get our strengths sometimes – from the surroundings.”
However, the game didn’t relieve pain, only because that wasn’t the Fitzwaters’ biggest challenge.
Friday nights came and went. The recruiting process never stopped. However, neither did the emptiness.
“We go to new places, meet coaches and it’s like a part of us is missing we’d like to share with them,” Mike said.
Tulsa’s first-year staff, including head coach Philip Montgomery, came along at the right time for David Fitzwater. Although he was recruited by the prior staff as a sophomore, Fitzwater didn’t boast enough “tight end tape” to get a serious look.
During his senior season, Fitzwater hauled in seven passes – including a score -- and made 91 tackles and five sacks as a defensive end. He earned first-team All-City honors from The Times and earned an honorable mention recognition on the 2015 Class 2A All-State team.
Fitzwater’s relationship with Tulsa strengthened when the Golden Hurricane traveled to Shreveport for a Camping World Independence Bowl date with Virginia Tech in December.
Tulsa’s fast-paced offense could intimidate some, especially a kid coming off a seven-catch season. The Golden Hurricane threw it 44 times in a 55-52 loss to the Hokies at Independence Stadium and ranked 13th in the nation in total offense in 2015.
Fitzwater cannot wait for the challenge.
“It’s better than standing around,” he said.
Mike Fitzwater couldn’t be happier with Tulsa tight ends coach, Jordan Najvar, a recent addition for Montgomery.
“It’s his first job; David is his first recruit,” Mike Fitzwater said. “He’ll be like a big brother as much as a coach should be.”
Naturally, David says his older brother remains a crucial source of motivation.
“He wanted me to be the best I can be,” he said. “I’m working hard on doing that. He’d always push me and try to get me better.”
David said, “Daniel is going with me to Tulsa,” and not playing football, just like that emotional evening on the football field at Calvary days after his brother’s death, was never an option.
“I treated it as a game, just for fun,” David said. “Me and my brothers enjoy the game. That’s what we do. We just keep playing.”
Fitzwater's late brother to tag along at Tulsa
Roy Lang III
David Fitzwater can still feel the pain. It simply takes one glance at his hands.
“He taught me how to catch,” Fitzwater said.
As a kid, Fitzwater was on the receiving end of “bullets” from his big brother Daniel, then a blossoming quarterback prospect with a rifle right arm.
“He’d drill me,” David said. “I’d say, ‘Throw it a little harder.’ Your hands, you just couldn’t feel them.”
Remarkably, pain isn’t the word the Fitzwater family uses to describe the past four months.
Wednesday, the day David, who now employs those battered fingers as a tight end, signed to play football at the University of Tulsa, came exactly four months after the unexpected death of Daniel, a quarterback at ULM, at age 20.
During the time of disbelief, football was a valuable asset for David, a 6-foot-4, 225-pounder who played on both sides of the ball at Calvary Baptist Academy.
“It kept me busy; kept me focused on something,” David said.
Just days after his brother’s death, David took the field for the Cavaliers.
“He knew (football) had a structure, something he could control. He loved and had a passion for it,” Calvary head coach John Bachman said. “You saw a bigger determination from him. You just don’t want to talk -- at least he just had a football game to play.
“That courage comes from that family.”
Mike Fitzwater, a father of three boys and one girl with wife, Kelli, believes every aspect of football helped David deal with the family’s sudden loss.
“He really enjoys the team aspect, the relationships with the other kids,” Mike said. “That’s where we all get our strengths sometimes – from the surroundings.”
However, the game didn’t relieve pain, only because that wasn’t the Fitzwaters’ biggest challenge.
Friday nights came and went. The recruiting process never stopped. However, neither did the emptiness.
“We go to new places, meet coaches and it’s like a part of us is missing we’d like to share with them,” Mike said.
Tulsa’s first-year staff, including head coach Philip Montgomery, came along at the right time for David Fitzwater. Although he was recruited by the prior staff as a sophomore, Fitzwater didn’t boast enough “tight end tape” to get a serious look.
During his senior season, Fitzwater hauled in seven passes – including a score -- and made 91 tackles and five sacks as a defensive end. He earned first-team All-City honors from The Times and earned an honorable mention recognition on the 2015 Class 2A All-State team.
Fitzwater’s relationship with Tulsa strengthened when the Golden Hurricane traveled to Shreveport for a Camping World Independence Bowl date with Virginia Tech in December.
Tulsa’s fast-paced offense could intimidate some, especially a kid coming off a seven-catch season. The Golden Hurricane threw it 44 times in a 55-52 loss to the Hokies at Independence Stadium and ranked 13th in the nation in total offense in 2015.
Fitzwater cannot wait for the challenge.
“It’s better than standing around,” he said.
Mike Fitzwater couldn’t be happier with Tulsa tight ends coach, Jordan Najvar, a recent addition for Montgomery.
“It’s his first job; David is his first recruit,” Mike Fitzwater said. “He’ll be like a big brother as much as a coach should be.”
Naturally, David says his older brother remains a crucial source of motivation.
“He wanted me to be the best I can be,” he said. “I’m working hard on doing that. He’d always push me and try to get me better.”
David said, “Daniel is going with me to Tulsa,” and not playing football, just like that emotional evening on the football field at Calvary days after his brother’s death, was never an option.
“I treated it as a game, just for fun,” David said. “Me and my brothers enjoy the game. That’s what we do. We just keep playing.”
