There is a lot, beyond the X's and O's, that goes into success on the football gridiron. And even more that is needed for accomplishment off the field as well. Steve George, the ten-year head coach of Newtown High School's team who stepped down this past fall, put together many seasons of winning ways and played a big role in achievement that can't be measured by wins and loses.

The Newtown Bee's Harmon Award for Sportsman of the Year for 2016.

For his efforts, George is the recipient of

"Steve is an essential part of the Newtown football program. He has dedicated countless years of service to the program teaching, coaching, and helping hundreds of student athletes over the years," said Bobby Pattison, who worked under the direction of George, as defensive coordinator, and has been promoted to succeed George at the helm. "I think something he did exceptionally well was develop a rapport with the kids that continues after they leave the program. How many people do you know that write letters to former players who ship off to basic training? Steve did much more for the program than just be a successful coach."

Of course, there was a tremendous amount of positive results on the field during George's tenure. Among the highlights were five straight South-West Conference championship game appearances, including three consecutive titles culminating with the 2014 title, along with, in 2014, ending Ansonia's winning streak at 48 games, just one shy of a state record. George fondly recalls an overtime triumph over Bunnell of Stratford to propel his team into the conference's pinnacle game, and last season's state playoff win over Glastonbury.

One of the things for which George is most proud is his team winning not only the SWC title, but also the conference's Sportsmanship Trophy in the same season. It's unusual for a winning team to also take home the sportsmanship award throughout school sports.

George, with the tremendous help of parents, has his students do a variety of volunteer work, ranging from raising awareness and money for the American Cancer Society to sorting books at the library, to donating time at youth camps and clinics.

"I think that just completes you as a person. Not too many kids are going to go on to play in the NFL," George said of the importance of exposing student-athletes to volunteer work. "Volunteering is important. I think it's an important part of being an adult."

George, for the past few years, has donated his time and solicited the help of his players, at the annual Walter Camp clinic.

"My coach taught me so much about life and hard work. I hope I was able to give some of that back to the kids of Newtown and this team," said George, whose NHS coach was Bob Zito when he was a member of the 1992 Class MM state championship team.

Zito and Ken Roberts, who also previously coached the Newtown High team, laid a foundation that has been further developed throughout the years, George said.

George has been a part of Newtown High football going back a few decades meaning, at 41 years old, NHS has been a huge part of his entire life. In addition to playing for Newtown in the 1990s, he served as an assistant coach, first starting as a volunteer, eight years before taking over as head coach.

Throughout his tenure, George worked with the town's youth program to ensure a smooth transition for middle school players making their way into the high school ranks.

"There are memories that you'll never be able to match. So many good things happened over the last ten years," said George, explaining that it was hard to step away from the head coaching role but that this was the right decision so he can devote more time to family.

George, who resides in Seymour, with his wife Laura, coaches the youth basketball and baseball teams his sons Jake and Peyton are on. They also have a daughter, Alexis, and a fourth child on the way.

The big wins and seeing players develop and improve overshadow the losses and any of the not-so-memorable things that go along with coaching.

George said he always had high expectations for his players, in terms of commitment, work ethic, and effort not only throughout the season, but during the long offseason as well.

"The season never ends. That's the unusual thing about football," said George, noting that the day after the game schedule ends, coaches start preparing for the next year. There's winter weight lifting, summer workouts, and then the season. Practices begin in August and strong teams that qualify for the state playoffs can keep rolling along well into December.

"You're going through the heat of summer, you see the fall, and you finish in the wintertime," George points out.

Something that has been consistent under the leadership of George is winning ways - the Hawks were undefeated in regular-season games for a stretch of three-plus consecutive campaigns along the way - but the makeup of the team members changes from season to season.

"I try to adapt to the situation or adapt to the kids to try to get the most out of them," George said.

George pushed himself to do as much as possible to help the team win. In addition to the four hours spent either practicing, in the weight room, or watching film with the players, was time spent at home drawing up practice schedules and game preparation, for the coach.

"The harder you work you put in, the higher the reward, usually," George points out.

That is another part of what made it difficult for George to hand over the reins. The elusive reward. Not the SWC trophy, which Newtown kept from other teams multiple times, but the state crown.

"We've been really, really close. Unfortunately the games haven't gone our way but we're right there," said George, whose state playoff appearances include a nail-biting loss to Shelton in the Class LL semifinals a year ago. "We've been a catch away, a batted ball away."

George has seen the program grow in terms of size, now competing against the biggest schools in the state. He's been a part of change in field surface - grass giving way to artificial turf at Blue & Gold Stadium (and almost every other high school complex around for that matter), and scheduling changes, setting up teams with nonconference contests to create competitive balance during the season, as well as a statewide cutback in games and practices to limit contact over the course of the campaign.

George has worked as a technology education teacher at NHS for a decade after a year in the Marines, attending Western Connecticut State University, and earning his master's degree at Central Connecticut State University.

"I have a lot invested in it as a player, as a coach, as a teacher in the school," said George, adding that he's not completely walking away, and plans to stay on board as an assistant in the football program.