Fitchburg Public Schools

This is just a friend reminder. MCAS for grade 10 ELA will take place on March 24th and 25th

On these days, Grades 9, 11, and 12 will have a delayed start, with school beginning at 10:15 AM to allow for a smooth testing environment.

An adjusted bus schedule for those days is posted for families to review.

Thanks,

FHS Administration

After leaving Holy Name, Pucko transitioned to coaching in the intercollegiate ranks with his first stop coaching linebackers and defensive line at Division 2 Assumption University in Worcester. He stayed in Central Mass moving to Division 1 at the College of the Holy Cross and coached the defensive line there through last season. Pucko himself is a graduate of the University of Connecticut with a degree in finance where he was also a two-year varsity letterwinner in football, earning second team All-Yankee Conference honors. He later matriculated and earned his master’s degree in business administration from Anna Maria College.

Pucko knows the importance of the student-athlete experience and it starts now, “we need to make sure we get kids exposed to what the college experience is going to be. We will prepare our student-athletes with a study routine that builds good habits.”    

What can the student-athletes expect in the foundation of the Fitchburg High School Football program under Coach Pucko? He emphasized the following, “they are going to get preparation for a college style program from practicing to training to studying. Our student-athletes will be prepared for college level academic expectations, playing ability, and the recruiting process.” What will that training entail? Pucko stated, “the weight room is going to be huge. It will be more than strength, we will build strong student-athletes but there will be more than just strength we will also include explosiveness with plyometrics.”

What does a former player and coaching colleague say of Coach Pucko? Chris Grautski, now the Director of Football Athletic Performance at UCLA, both played for and coached with Pucko: “I played for Coach Pucko in the Shriners State All-Star Game and worked alongside him at Assumption University and The College of the Holy Cross. His system of coaching is highly organized and allows for his players to play fast.” Grautski continued, “Coach Pucko does a phenomenal job of building trust and relationships with his players. He brings the best out of his teams and maximizes their potential.” 

Pucko emphasized the importance of building a quality program, starting long before students arrive at Fitchburg High School: “youth football is vital to establishing basic and solid fundamentals [and] I am looking forward to getting myself involved in youth football across the city, whether it’s fundamental clinics or coaching sessions. We will grow a more competitive program that our students and the community will be proud of again.”

A new era of Fitchburg High School Football begins now.