OLYPHANT, Pa. — After 16 seasons of coaching the Valley View football team head coach George Howanitz is calling it quits at the end of the season.
"The last couple of years I have been thinking about it. My son Dylan is playing in college. My daughter Addison is getting older and Adam is going finishing up and hoping going to go play in college. I would like to do a little more seeing their games and I am going to start running some more football camps I think so I can get into a little more involved in the football picture. You know it's just time," said George.
This run as the head coach ends with over 100 career wins. A 2021 District 2 "4A" championship and the accomplishment of putting Valley View football back on the state map.
"I mean we feel like every year now that we are state ranked now. I am hoping the same thing happens again this year. We have a really good recipe for playing guys one way and playing young guys early and having them ready by the end of the year and it has really worked for us. We have been in the District Championship picture now 6 or 7 years in a row," again said George.
During this run Coach Howanitz added yoga classes into the off-season training, started a youth football camp and coordinated along with his coaching staff to hold many college football showcases helping in the recruiting process.
"Kids have grown up now. We have so many guys that have graduated that are Dads and college coaches and doing things in the community. And I think that is what we are trying to teach. Our kids can give back. And our kids have given back and they have become really great people and I think that is really all that you can strive for as a coach," added George.
Howanitz was also the quarterback on the 1992 State Championship team here at Valley View. It's etched on the walls inside the locker room and forever engrained in his memories.
"I just think that football is such a special sport in the family atmosphere that it creates and you never really lose those relationships the ones that you make on the field and the locker room. You know the relationships I still have great relationships with a lot of the guys and we are still really good friends. I think that is what this sport teaches you the most," said George.
Steve Lloyd Newswatch 16 sports reporting.
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