Parks and Recreation Commissioner Mauro G. Tucci and the Nutley Parks and Recreation Department kicked off the fall football season with their annual pep rally on September 13 at Glotzbach Field.

Commissioner Tucci welcomed everyone with the following passionate speech:

“Thank you, everyone, for being here this morning, and welcome to our 2025 pep rally for our Jr. Raider tackle football program, our boys’ and girls’ flag football program, and our Jr. Raider cheerleading program.

“I would like to thank our coaches; the parents’ booster club; high school helpers; our cheering coordinator, Jaime Ardizzone, my Parks and Rec staff, led by Superintendent Frank DeMaio; my grounds supervisor, Anthony Gagliardo; my recreation staff—Theresa, Michele, Jake, Nicole, Debbie, Mary, Jenine—and everyone else in our department who make events like this happen for our children… an outstanding team!

“Allow me to share our 2025 statistics:

Tackle football: 102 participants

Boys’ and girls’ flag football: 307 participants

Cheerleading program: 191 participants

“That’s a total of 600 youngsters participating, with approximately 80 volunteer coaches. Pretty impressive!

“I would also like to take a minute to recognize one of our own, Tom Olivo—an outstanding athlete, coach, husband, father, son, and brother—whom we lost 5 1/2 months ago. We know you’re smiling down on us, Tom, and wish us a great season. God bless you, Nutley Raider!

“World events like the killing of Charlie Kirk, the Israeli–Hamas conflict, the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the anniversary of the 9/11 tragedy, and the general divisiveness in our country have left our world very unsettled.

“Here in Nutley, we teach teamwork, cooperation, commitment, acceptance, compassion, and understanding. Perhaps the world should take a lesson from us and learn how to live with our neighbors, not in conflict—for the sake of our children.

Let’s have a great season!”

The speech was followed by the introduction of players, cheerleaders and coaches as well as routines from the cheerleader squads.