Year Inducted: 1973
Nominated By: Dr. Robert D. Pierce
Sports Competed In: Tennis
Athlete, Coach or Contributor: Athlete, Coach

Thomas E. KeachThomas E. Keach

High School:
Attended Pueblo Central H.S., graduating in 1947.

Achievements:
High School:
● Earned a total of six varsity letters, two each playing football, basketball and tennis for the Wildcats.
● Made the All-State tennis team in 1945.

College:
Went to Colorado A&M (now Colorado State University) in Fort Collins, Colorado, where he graduated in 1951...Attended the University of Northern Colorado, graduating with a Master's degree in 1959.

Achievements:
College:
● Earned a tennis scholarship: Only played three years of varsity tennis because freshman were bared from participation until the Fall of 1951
● Top singles player his junior and senior years and earned three varsity letters.

Coaching Career:
Coached for 11 years at Keating Junior High and also served as an Assistant Principal for two years.

Achievements:
Tennis:
● Organized first summer tennis program in Pueblo.
● Helped many of Pueblo’s top tennis players at different schools with their game.
● Won numerous tennis tournaments since 1959.
● Inducted into the Colorado Tennis Hall of Fame (2002).

Occupations:
● Hired to teach physical education at Fountain Elementary.
● Assistant principal at both Freed Junior High and Pueblo Central H.S.
● Moved to administration as Director of Secondary Education and advanced to Assistant Superintendent of Certified personnel.
● Finished career as Principal of Keating and Corwin and retired in 1984.

Personal:
Lives in Pueblo.


GPSA "K" By The Numbers

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

 1
Athlete
Victor "Vic" Ford Keen (2016)

Attended First GPSA Meeting.
Loren Kilstofte (2003*>)

Attended H.S. in Colorado
Jerry H. "Kerz" Kersey (2008*p)
Rye H.S., Rye, CO

Attended Pueblo Catholic H.S.
Joseph "George" Kaplan (2014)

Attended Pueblo West H.S.
Christie "Zinanti" Koschke (2020)

Golf
Christie "Zinanti" Koschke (2020)

Softball
Christie "Zinanti" Koschke (2020)

Swimming
David S. Knapp (1988)

Wrestling
Karl Frederick Kottenstette (2019)

 2
Athlete/Coach/Official
Karl Frederick Kottenstette (2019)
Kirk E. Kochenberger (2010)

Attended Pueblo South H.S.
Charles Allen Kochenberger (2001)
David S. Knapp (1988)

Baseball
Joseph "George" Kaplan (2014)
Gary L. Knafelc (1973+)

Boxing
Prince Knafelc (1988*)
Gary L. Knafelc (1973+)

Coach/Administrator
John LeGrand Klomp (2014)
Willard Stanley Kettering (1978)

Contributor
Rocky Khosla, M.D. (2020)
Loren H. Kilstofte (2003*>)

GPSA Charter Member
Thomas E. Keach (1973+)
Gary L. Knafelc (1973+)

Track
Victor "Vic" Ford Keen (2016)
Thomas E. "Tom" Keach (1973+)

 

3
Attended H.S. Outside Colorado
John LeGrand Klomp (2014)
Wesleyville H.S., Wesleyville, PA
Loren H. Kilstofte (2003*>)
Winona H.S., Winona, MN
Willard Stanley Kettering (1978)
Lisbon H.S., Lisbon, IA

4
Honorees Deceased
Jerry H. "Kerz" Kersey (2008*)
Loren H. Kilstofte (2003*>)
Prince Knafelc (1988*)
Willard Stanley Kettering (1978*)

 

5
Basketball
Christie "Zinanti" Koschke (2020)
Victor "Vic" Ford Keen (2016)
Kirk E. Kochenberger (2010)
Jerry H. "Kerz" Kersey (2008*p)
Charles Allen Kochenberger (2001)

Athlete/Coach
Joseph "George" Kaplan (2014)
Charles Allen Kochenberger (2001)
Prince Knafelc (1988*)
David S. Knapp (1988)
Gary L. Knafelc (1973+)

 

 6
Attended Pueblo Central H.S.
Karl Frederick Kottenstette (2019)
Victor "Vic" Ford Keen (2016)
Kirk E. Kochenberger (2010)
Prince Knafelc (1988*)
Thomas E. "Tom" Keach (1973+)
Gary L. Knafelc (1973+)

Football
Karl Frederick Kottenstette (2019)
Joseph "George" Kaplan (2014)
John LeGrand Klomp (2014)
Kirk E. Kochenberger (2010)
Jerry H. "Kerz" Kersey (2008*p)
Prince Knafelc (1988*)
Gary L. Knafelc (1973+)

 

16
Honorees in "K" 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