Gus Edwards

Gus EdwardsEugene "Gus" Edwards
(Football Coach, 1952)


Eugene "Gus" Edwards' presence has been felt in the City of Danbury and at Danbury High School specifically for nearly sixty years. As a 1952 graduate Gus played baseball, ran track and was captain of the 1951 football team, making Honorable Mention All -State. While Gus's playing career was a good one his greatest impact at DHS came as a coach. Starting in 1958 Gus coached football, as both an assistant to Ed "Copper" Crotty and as a head coach, from 1958 until his retirement from coaching in 1982. As the Head Football Coach from 1967 until 1982 Gus compiled a 90-60-3 record (.588 winning %) which is second only to Copper Crotty in wins. Additionally Gus has taken three teams to the FCIAC Championship (1968, 1973, 1976) winning the league title in 1973 and 1976. Coach Edwards' squads were noted for stingy defense and a punishing ground attack. Under Coach Edwards numerous players made all FCIAC, All-Area, and All-State in football. A little known fact is that Coach Edwards started the Danbury High School Wrestling program, which has grown into one of the most dominant high school programs of any sport in the state of Connecticut. He coached wrestling for three years. For his illustrious coaching career Gus has been inducted into the FCIAC Hall of Fame and into the Danbury Old Timers Association. For his work with the National Football Foundation and Hall of Fame Gus was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2000. Gus was a teacher and guidance counselor at Danbury High School from 1958 until 1997. After retiring from DHS Gus went to Immaculate High School as a guidance counselor and continues in that capacity still. Gus has a daughter and two sons who were both all-state football players. All three graduated from DHS. In addition to his continued active life Gus also has organized benefits for former DHS players who have fallen on hard times. The love his former players, many of whom are still in the area and active in the community, is indicative of the influence Gus Edwards has had on them and on the City of Danbury.