Javelina Hall of Fame
George Harris, from Three Rivers, received his bachelor’s degree from Texas A&I in 1960. He was on the 1959 Javelina mile relay team in that won the Lone Star Conference gold medal. He was inducted into the Javelina Hall of Fame in 2009.
Harris began his coaching career at Gregory-Portland High School in 1960 and he was at the school for 22 years. The Wildcats won 12 consecutive district football titles during that period. He was the head track and field coach for 18 years and his teams took seven regional titles and 12 district championships.
Harris moved to Refugio in 1982 and was the defensive coordinator for 10 years. The team had a 99-19-4 record during that time and reached the state championship game in 1987. He was the girls head track and field coach for 12 years and the school won 12 district titles, eight regional championships and six state titles.
Harris became the head football coach and athletic director at Refugio in 1992 and through the 2000 season, his football teams posted a 106-17-1 record, won eight district titles, was a state quarterfinalist in 1996 and 1997 and reached the semifinals in 1995, 1999 and 2000. The Bobcats lost one district game during the span.
Harris returned to Gregory-Portland in 2001 and has a record of 70-30. The Wildcats reached the Class 4A semifinals in 2002, the state quarterfinals in 2004 and 2007, the regional finals in 2003 and 2008, and the bi-district level in 2001 and 2005.
In his 49 years of coaching, he has been associated with teams that have posted a 176-47-1 record and his playoff record is 38-16.
Harris recently received the Tom Landry Award.
He served on the Texas High School Coaches Association board of directors and the Coastal Bend Coaches Association board of directors.
Harris received the South Texas AAU’s highest honor, the Past President’s Trophy, in 1992 and has been the Texas Girls Coaches Association track and field all-star coach. He was the THSCA South All-Star head coach in 2006.
Harris has been coach of the year 13 times in football and seven times in track and field.
He is married and he and his wife Patsy have a son, Kent, and a daughter, Keri.
