More than 300 people turned out Friday night to pay tribute to an iconic Zephyrhills coach and teacher, Tom Fisher.
In the most fitting location for a memorial and celebration of life, Tom Fisher Field at Bulldog Stadium saw family members, former players, students, and fellow coaches take moments to reflect on the man who made an impact on an entire community.
“In my opinion, he was a generational coach,” said former player Tyler Guy. “When you say generational, it means once in a generation and that fits coach Fisher. How many brothers, cousins and uncles do we have here? He coached us all. He molded us. He was our mentor. He was our leader.”
Guy pointed out that during Fisher’s 20-year coaching career, he coached a Super Bowl Champion, a CFL Champion and great college football players.
“Little Zephyrhills has been represented well and a lot of that is because of coach Fisher,” Guy said.
Fisher died Feb. 9 after a lengthy battle with Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP), a rare neurological disorder that affects body movements, walking and balance, eye movements, muscle movements and other important functions.
As the top dog of the ZHS football program, Fisher’s teams won 124 games, four conference titles, three district championships, made eight playoff appearances and he was named conference coach of the year four times.
In 2017, the football field at Bulldog Stadium at Zephyrhills High School was renamed and dedicated in honor of Fisher.
Former player and former ZHS coach Reggie Roberts said the lessons on the football field were always lessons in life.
“This was a great man in my life, and I could give a great many stories, but I don’t think I would be where I am without Tom and the lessons, he taught me,” Roberts said. “Tom Fisher taught football, and we learned life.”
Jimmy Campbell, who played for Fisher and coached with him for four seasons, coached in the youth leagues in Zephyrhills and taught Fisher’s beloved 4-4 defense to his young players.
“He loved that defense. He lived and died my that defense right here on this field,” Campbells said. “He came to watch one of our games. After our defense came off the field, I asked him what he thought, and he gave me a thumbs up. He didn’t say much. When you came out on this field, you knew what you needed to do and that was coach Fisher.”
Damien Pickett, who proudly boasts that he was the first freshman to play varsity football for Fisher, explained how much Fisher meant to him during the most pivotal time of his life.
“My mother passed while I was attending this high school and coach Fisher allowed all my friends and teammates to attend the funeral wearing their jerseys to support me,” Pickett said. I remember him telling me, ‘Keep doing what you’re doing young man, your mom is watching you.’”
Current Zephyrhills Coach Nick Carroll, who also played for Fisher, learned about having pride in his school and his community and he instills that lesson to his players.
“Being a head football coach here for the last nine years and the pride we have for this community and this school is something he gave us and it’s really special,” Carroll said. “We continue to build that here for these kids at Zephyrhills High School.”
Artie Meza, who played at rival Pasco, but coached with Fisher at ZHS, recalled his interview with Fisher before joining his staff.
“It was two hours long and it had nothing to do with football,” Meza explained. “It had to do with life and what it meant to be a coach and what it meant to be a man. Tom was amazing. He impacted a lot of lives. I ma a better coach and a better man for having known him.”
Greg First, the longtime voice of the Bulldogs, offered a tribute to Fisher recalling stories of watching Fisher’s daughters grow up on the sidelines of that storied field where their father led the team. He also noted a story where he was the reason the Bulldogs received a penalty because of a hot mic in the press box.
“There is a lot of chatter in the press box when the mic is off, but this time we complained about a call and the mic was still on,” First said.
Tom’s wife Gail shared that the coach served as a father beyond his family to his players.
“He loved his players like they were his own sons,” Gail Fisher said. “People stop us on the street to tell us stories of how Tom influenced their live. He never gave up on anyone, He would push you to do things you thought you were capable of. He had faith in you even when you didn’t have faith in yourself.”
Coach Fisher is survived by his wife, three daughters Amanda, Kelsey, and Hali and six grandchildren.