Year Inducted: 1990
Nominated By: James L. Bongimo
Sports Competed In: Basketball, Football
Athlete, Coach or Contributor: Athlete, Coach

Willie Wright

Before High School:
Played one season of football (1958) as a quarterback/linebacker and competed in track (100 and 220 yard dash) for coach Bill Matthew at Corwin Junior High and a year (1959) of basketball as a guard under coach Jim Ransom.

High School:
Attended Pueblo South H.S., graduating in 1962.

Achievements:
High School:
● Lettered three years (1956-61) on the Colts football team (quarterback) that was coached by Bob Overstake.
● Finished his gridiron career second in career points scored (205 pts.) behind the legendary Dutch Clark who had 298 pts.
● Helped team to an 8-2-0 record on 1960.
● Lettered all three years he was on the Colts basketball team (1960-62) playing for coach Bill Brown.
● Led the team in scoring all three seasons while appearing in the state basketball tournament three consecutive years.
● Elected to play in the North/South All-State Basketball game his senior year (1962).
● Averaged 13.6 points per game in 1960, 18.1 points per game in 1961 and 23.9 points per game in 1962.
● Lettered three years of baseball (1960-62) for the Colts at 1st and 3rd base while batting cleanup.
● Played in state baseball finals in 1961.

College:
Accepted a four-year basketball scholarship to the University of Colorado and returned to Pueblo after one semester...Attended Southern Colorado State College (now CSU-Pueblo) and graduated in 1966...Continued his education at Adams State College, working on an MA degree in Health, P.E. & Recreation... He had accumulated 61 hours above Masters Degree.

Achievements:
College:
● Started at forward on the basketball team for three seasons (1964-66) which posted a team record of 52-20.
● Averaged 19.9 game point average.
● Helped the 1965 team to the NAIA Tournament.
● Named Honorable Mention All-American in 1965.

Coaching Career:
● Started his coaching career as the football, basketball and track head coach at Pleasant View Jr. High (1966-69).
● Moved to California to coach 8th grade football and assist in the track program for a year (1969) at Orangeview Junior High.
● Returned to Colorado to become an assistant coach of the football and basketball teams at Pueblo South H.S.
● Served one season (1975-76) as the head basketball coach for the Colts.
● Took the reins of Pueblo South H.S. baseball program for 13 years (1969-82).
● Also served for two seasons (1981-83) as the head basketball coach at Parkview Christian Academy.
● Led his team to a fifth place finish at the National ACE Tournament.

Occupation:
Teacher and Coach; Entrepreneur owner of three lumber yards since 1987.

Personal:
Lives in Pueblo with his wife, Joy.


GPSA "G" By The Numbers

LEGEND: p = awarded posthumously; ^= attended first meeting; * = deceased;+ = charter member (placed after year inducted)

1
Athlete/Coach/Official
Bennie M. "Ben" Garcia (2007)

Athlete/Contributor
Thomas Carlyle Gilmore (1984*p)

Athlete/Official
Michael "Mickey" Giarratino (1993*)

Attended H.S. Outside Colorado
James S. "Jim" Grieve (1981*)
Hyde Park H.S., Chicago, IL

Attended Pueblo Roncalli H.S.
Paul Gradishar (1989)

Attended Vineland H.S.
John "Johnnie" Greco (1988*)

Coach/Administrator
Robert Luis "Bobby" Gonzales (2004)

Cross Country
Joe E. Garcia (1985)

Gymnastics
Karen L. (Koshak) Griebel (2011)

Marksman
Tom Carlyle Gilmore (1984*p)

Skeet/Trap
Henry "Hank" Gilmore (1977*p)

Tennis
John "Coach" Michael Gallina (2017)

 

2
Attended Pueblo Catholic H.S.
David P. Galich (2011*)
Richard "Dick" Giarratino (2001)

Attended Pueblo Centennial H.S.
Joe E. Garcia (1985)
William Ansel "Bill" Gower II (1982)

Contributor
Arthur "Art" H. Gonzales (2017*)
John "Johnnie" Greco (1988*)

Honorees Awarded Posthumously
Thomas Carlyle Gilmore (1984*p)
Henry "Hank" Gilmore (1977*p)

Softball
Bennie M. "Ben" Garcia (2007)
Michael "Mickey" Giarratino (1993*)
Joe E. Garcia (1985)

Wrestling
Robert Luis "Bobby" Gonzales (2004)
Nick Charles Graham (2004)

 

3
Athlete/Coach/Contributor
Becky Lynn Golob (2010)
Nick Charles Graham (2004)
Paul Gradishar (1989)

Attended H.S. Inside Colorado
Thomas Carlyle Gilmore (1984*p)
Ft. Collins H.S., Ft. Collins, CO
George A. Grosvenor (1980*)
Boulder Prep H.S., Boulder, CO
Henry "Hank" Gilmore (1977*p)
Adams City H.S., Commerce City, CO

 

4
Athlete
David P. Galich (2011*)
Patrick Geonetta (2001)
William Ansel "Bill" Gower II (1982)
Henry "Hank" Gilmore (1977*p)

Baseball
Anthony "Nino" Giarratino (2010)
Nick Charles Graham (2004)
Paul Gradishar (1989)
George A. Grosvenor (1980*)

Basketball
Gary John Gehlhoff (2011)
Becky Lynn Golob (2010)
Bennie M. "Ben" Garcia (2007)
Bobby M. "Bob" Graham (1990)

 

5
Attended Pueblo South H.S.
John "Coach" Michael Gallina (2017)
Karen L. (Koshak) Griebel (2011)
Anthony "Nino" Giarratino (2010)
Becky Lynn Golob (2010)
Bobby M. "Bob" Graham (1990)

Track
Gary John Gehlhoff (2011)
Patrick Geonetta (2001)
Joe E. Garcia (1985)
James S. "Jim" Grieve (1981*)
George A. Grosvenor (1980*)

6
Attended Pueblo Central H.S.
Gary John Gehlhoff (2011)
Robert Luis "Bobby" Gonzales (2004)
Nick Charles Graham (2004)
Patrick Geonetta (2001)
Michael "Mickey" Giarratino (1993*)
Paul Gradishar (1989)

Honorees Deceased
Arthur "Art" H. Gonzales (2017*)
David P. Galich (2011*)
Michael "Mickey" Giarratino (1993*)
John "Johnnie" Greco (1988*)
Thomas Carlyle Gillmore (1984*p)
Henry "Hank" Gilmore (1977*p)

 

8
Attended Pueblo Central H.S.
John "Coach" Michael Gallina (2017)
Karen L. (Koshak) Griebel (2011)
Anthony "Nino" Giarratino (2010)
Richard "Dick" Giarratino (2001)
Bobby M. "Bob" Graham (1990)
Joe E. Garcia (1985)
James S. "Jim" Grieve (1981*)
George A. Grosvenor (1980*)

 

9
Football
David P. Galich (2011*)
Gary John Gehlhoff (2011)
Nick Charles Graham (2004)
Patrick Geonetta (2001)
Bobby M. "Bob" Graham (1990)
Paul Gradishar (1989)
William Ansel "Bill" Gower II (1982)
James S. "Jim" Grieve (1981*)
George A. Grosvenor (1980*)

 

22
Honorees in "G" Section

Remembering Our Fallen GPSA Inductees

The Greater Pueblo Sports Association (GPSA) has announced a list of honorees that have passed since the 2022 induction ceremony on Nov. 16.

 

Dennis TrujilloDennis
Trujillo

11/28/2022
Class of 2007

Knafelc obitGary L.
Knafelc

12/19/2022
Class of 1973

Don StuttersDr. Donald
Stutters

01/20/2023
Class of 1993