George Kanupka III graduated from Berlin High School in 1964 where he was a four-year athlete in baseball, football and basketball. In baseball, he was a team captain as a senior and the team made the state tournament. Kanupka also played Berlin American Legion team. He was the captain of the basketball team as a senior and that team also made the state tournament. Kanupka was a four-year member of the football team and was a key performer on the 1963 team which was the first undefeated team since 1948. The team’s offense posted 174 points and the defense only gave up 38. Kanupka was one of six players named to the NWC All-Star Team as a tackle.

Kanupka received the Richard Patterson Award, was the treasurer of the Student Council and vice president of the Key Club his senior year and attended Boys State. He received a football scholarship to Bullis Preparatory School in Silver Spring, MD from the U.S. Naval Academy Alumni Association.

Kanupka was nominated to the U.S. Naval Academy by Sen. Abraham Ribicoff and graduated in 1969. He was also a graduate of the U.S. Navy Nuclear Power Program. Kanupka served five years in the navy Submarine Force, earning a letter of commendation from the Submarine Squadron Sixteen.

After leaving the Navy, Kanupka settled in Rocky Hill where he remained involved in athletics. He coached Little League girls softball, youth soccer, youth basketball and assisted in organized and ran the girls high school level summer league and was also a coach for the boys and girls basketball team in CT Starters AAU.

Kanupka joins his father, who graduated from Berlin High School in 1936 and was inducted into the Berlin Hall of Fame in 2015.