For the second consecutive year, the North Brunswick Township High School football program has donated $1,000 from its annual golf outing to The Marisa Tufaro Foundation.
Mike Cipot, who has directed a remarkable turnaround since becoming the head coach at his alma mater five years ago, continues to teach his players about the importance of giving back to the community.
“There’s more to life than football,” Cipot said. “Being kind to people and doing good deeds goes a long way. When you show action and do something for your community or an organization, you’re a better person for it.”
Cipot continues to practice what he preaches, using his touchdown club’s latest golf outing, held a day after the Marisa Rose Bowl, as a fundraiser, not solely for his football program, but also for The Marisa Tufaro Foundation.
The week of the Marisa Rose Bowl was frenetic for Cipot. He led separate practices for Marisa Rose Bowl players and his own varsity team, participated in the Tournament of Roses Parade Charity Walk and Food Drive, attended a Marisa Rose Bowl banquet, and spearheaded the football program’s alumni golf outing the day after the big game, which North Brunswick hosted.
Cipot credited the entire touchdown club, especially club president Faith Garbolino, with making the alumni golf outing the most successful ever with graduates from every decade dating back to the 1970s taking part in the event.
“Faith goes above and beyond,” Cipot said of the leader of the parent-run organization, whose myriad responsibilities include fundraising, team meals, movie nights, game programs, and much more.
“She’s as important to the program as the kids and the administrators and everyone else.”
The coach said support for this year’s golf outing was overwhelming, with donations from alumni and supporters, as well as abundant sponsorships.
“I always want the team to know people are helping outside the program,” Cipot said,” and they have support, whether they see it or not, in blue and gold.”
Cipot joined North Brunswick assistants John Cipot and Danny Gorzynski to coach Team Rose against Team Marisa in last month’s Marisa Rose Bowl, an intra-county charity all-star game featuring recently graduated players and cheerleaders from Middlesex County high schools.
All proceeds from the event benefited The Marisa Tufaro Foundation, which assists pediatric patients and underserved children throughout the greater Middlesex County area.
Marisa Rose Tufaro, who would have graduated last year from Edison High School, survived six open-heart surgeries and a heart transplant before succumbing to a rare form of cancer in 2017 following a valiant battle.
Despite being hospitalized for more than two years and maintaining hundreds of doctor’s appointments, Marisa Rose was an honor roll student involved in myriad extracurricular activities who lived a vibrant life that inspired.
Since its inception less than five years ago, the foundation established in Marisa Rose’s loving memory has donated a quarter of a million dollars to fulfill its mission.
The nonprofit, which makes community service an integral part of its mission, has also spearheaded multiple initiatives, resulting in the collection of thousands of toys, nonperishable food items, winter coats, baby supplies and other items for donation upon which it has placed no monetary value.
The foundation has also awarded $26,500 in college academic scholarships to 38 Middlesex County high school graduates, including North Brunswick alumna Darcy Fruhschein, and an additional 13 scholarships for Middlesex County middle school and elementary school students to attend a weeklong summer art camp at Rutgers University’s Zimmerli Art Museum.
With Cipot and coaches of other sports at the high school leading the way, the North Brunswick school-community has emerged as one of the foundation’s biggest supporters.
Cipot took over the North Brunswick gridiron program in 2017 and immediately engineered one of the fastest turnarounds in Greater Middlesex Conference football history.
Inheriting a team that finished 2-18 over the two previous seasons, Cipot guided North Brunswick to a 6-4 record as a rookie head coach, helping the Raiders win as many games in 2017 as they did in the previous four years combined.
As a second-year mentor, Cipot elevated the program to unprecedented heights. The Raiders set a single-season school record for wins in 2018, compiling a 10-2 mark while reaching a sectional final for the first time since 1979. North Brunswick won as many playoff games that year (two) as it did in all the school’s previous seasons combined.
North Brunswick has continued its winning ways, compiling a 24-7 record over the past three years including a return trip to a sectional final last season.
The football program’s recent success has generated interest throughout the school-community, creating palpable enthusiasm township-wide.
Cipot said his program is honored to be able to continue its good fortune with The Marisa Tufaro Foundation in the form of yet another generous donation.