Year Inducted: 2006
Nominated By: David A. Socier
Sports Competed In: Basketball
Athlete, Coach or Contributor: Coach, Administrator

Joe Folda

High School
Attended Sterling, CO H.S., graduating in 1961...Won three letters each playing basketball (guard) and golf/tennis.

College:
Went to Northeastern Junior College where he played basketball (guard) and was a member of the golf team for two seasons (1961-63)... Folda transferred to the University of Northern Colorado (where he graduated in 1966), and played two seasons as a guard on the Bears' basketball team (1963-65).

Achievements:
Coaching:
● Coaching career spanned 38 years with his first 16 years being at the high school level.
● Folda began at Siebert H.S. (1967-68) then moved to Holy Family H.S. for three years (1968-71).
● Longest tenured coaching in high school was at Sydney, Neb., H.S. where he spent eight years (1971-78).
● Concluded his H.S. coaching at his alma mater, Sterling H.S. for four seasons (1978-81).
● Moved on to Eastern Washington University (EWU) where he coached for three seasons (1984-87).
● Returned to Colorado to take the reins of the University of Southern Colorado (now CSU-Pueblo) for 19 years (1987-2005).
● Posted a career college record of 355 wins and 237 losses, winning 313 of those games while at CSU-Pueblo (against 195 losses).
● Led the Thunderwolves to three Colorado Athletic Conference (CAC) titles in 1991, 94 and 96.
● Folda's 1998 team won the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC - conference renamed from CAC) West Division, earned a No. 20 National Ranking and a berth in the NCAA North Central Regional.
● His 1991 squad earned a berth in the NAIA National Tourney and ranked as high as No. 12.
● Notable athletes coached: Guy Taylor, Bob Carmody, Damon Williams, Maurice Blanding, Tommie Robinson, Anthony Bird, Reco Burt, Alfred Sanchez, Matt Michael, Kelly Dorenkamp.
● Recorded an even 42-42 record at EWU.

Achievements:
Administration:
● Served as the interim Athletic Director twice at CSU-Pueblo, first from 2000-01 (six months) and again from 2002-03 (eight months).
● Took over the reins of the Thunderwolves athletic program permanently in 2005.

Occupation:
● Basketball Coach/ Athletic Director Colorado State University - Pueblo.

Personal:
Lives in Pueblo with his wife, Rosalie.


GPSA "F" By The Numbers

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

 1
Athlete/Coach/Administrator
Joseph M. Folda (2006)

Coach
C.T. "Fitz" Fitzgerald (1986*)

Coach/Contributor
Pete Falletta (2004)

Marathon
Judy M. Fellhauer (1994)

Softball
Sam F. "Rabbit" Ferraro (1992*)

Tennis
Edmund Francis (2001)

Attended Pleasant View H.S.
Sam F. "Rabbit" Ferraro (1992*)

Attended Pueblo Catholic H.S.
James Joseph Flood (2003)

Attended Pueblo South H.S.
Jack "Keith" Frazier (2019)

Attended H.S. Outside Colorado
C.T. "Fitz" Fitzgerald (1986*)
Pocahontas H.S., Pocahontas, IA

 2
Boxing
Frank Thomas Flood (2003*)
James Joseph Flood (2003)

Attended H.S. Inside Colorado
Joseph M. Folda (2006)
Sterling H.S., Sterling, CO
Hoy E. Frakes (1981*)
Greeley H.S., Greeley, CO

Attended Pueblo Centennial H.S.
Frank Thomas Flood (2003*)
James L. "Jim" Fimple (1977*)

Cross Country
Pete Falletta (2004)
Judy M. Fellhauer (1994)

 

3
Athlete
James Joseph Flood (2003)
Sam F. "Rabbit" Ferraro (1992*)
James L. "Jim" Fimple (1977*)

Attended Pueblo Central H.S.
Pete Falletta (2004)
Edmund Francis (2001)
Judy M. Fellhauer (1994)

Wrestling
Jack "Keith" Frazier (2019)
Frank Thomas Flood (2003*)
Hoy E. Frakes (1981*)

5
Athlete/Coach
Jack "Keith" Frazier (2019)
Frank Thomas Flood (2003*)
Edmund Francis (2001)
Judy M. Fellhauer (1994)
Hoy E. Frakes (1981)

Basketball
Joseph M. Folda (2006)
Frank Thomas Flood (2003*)
Sam F. "Rabbit" Ferraro (1992*)
C.T. "Fitz" Fitzgerald (1986*)
James L. "Jim" Fimple (1977*)

Football
Jack "Keith" Frazier (2019)
Frank Thomas Flood (2003*)
James Joseph Flood (2003)
C.T. "Fitz" Fitzgerald (1986*)
James L. "Jim" Fimple (1977*)

Honorees Deceased
Frank Thomas Flood (2003*)
Sam F. "Rabbit" Ferraro (1992*)
C.T. "Fitz" Fitzgerald (1986*)
Hoy Frakes (1981*)
James L. "Jim" Fimple (1977*)

Track
Jack "Keith" Frazier (2019)
Pete Falletta (2004)
Frank Thomas Flood (2003*)
Judy M. Fellhauer (1994)
James L. "Jim" Fimple (1977*)

 

11
Honorees in "F" 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