George Schutte was born in Galveston, Texas in 1924 and moved with his family to San Diego where he attended San Diego High School and played on the Caver's football team. He earned a football scholarship to USC but was drafted and served during WWII as a US Army Air Corps B-24 navigator. Following his service commitment, he returned to USC, played football, and earned a degree in physical education.
George taught at Hoover High School in 1949 when he first began officiating high school football games. George left teaching and coaching for a two-year career with the FBI but in 1951 he returned to San Diego and resumed his teaching, coaching, and officiating careers. He landed at San Diego City College and taught in the social science department until he retired.
In 1953 George resumed his officiating career and in 1968, became the instructional chairman for the SDCFOA. He remained in the position until his retirement from officiating in 1991. During that span, George became an official with the Far West Football Conference, then known as the CCAA, and then the PCAA. From 1975 to 1980, he also worked with the Western Athletic Conference with a split schedule with the PCAA. After the season of 1985, George retired from the PCAA and did his last local community college game in 1987. In his remaining years in the SDCFOA, he continued to work high school football and further refine and perfect the instructional program of the association until he retired in 1991.
Through George's efforts of quality and discipline, the association's educational program become nationally known and respected. As any football official who has participated in the SDCFOA instructional program would attest, didactic preparation, coupled with on-field presence and awareness continues to be an essential requisite of any SDCFOA member. NFL and NCAA officials, along with many community college and hundreds of high school officials, readily admit that George Schutte significantly contributed to their success as a football official. Always the innovator, George continued to use different classroom and on-field formats to allow the SDCFOA to remain one of the top-rated officials' associations in the country today. On September 14, 2002, George passed away leaving a legacy of officiating commitment, excellence and experience that will never be matched. A hearty "thumbs up" to Mr. Schutte for a job well done! SDCFOA is honored to be able to dedicate the Mechanics Manual and Philosophies 2020-2021 to Mr. George A. Schutte.
