Year Inducted: 1994
Nominated By: Lyn (Brown) Blagg
Sports Competed In: Basketball
Athlete, Coach or Contributor: Athlete, Coach

George Luiz

High School:
Prepped at Wray, Colorado H.S., graduating in 1941... Played center on the Eagles football team for two seasons (1939-40) and also participated in Basketball and track for two years (1940-41).

College:
Attended Colorado State College of Education (CSCE), graduating in 1949...Played one season of football for CSC at center and linebacker (1941) before being called up for World War II...Came back to CSC at conclusion of war and played football (center/linebacker) for three more years (1946-48)...Worked on his Master Degree at Western State College.

Coaching Career:
● Served as an assistant football coach for two seasons (1949-50) and an assistant basketball coach (1950-51) at Wheatland, WY, H.S.
● Held the position of assistant track Coach for four seasons at Pueblo Central H.S. (1953-56).
● Worked as an assistant basketball coach Pueblo Central H.S. (1957-59).
● Head track coach for the Wildcats (1957-58).
● Served seven years (1959-66) as an assistant basketball Coach at Pueblo South H.S.
● Served as an assistant track coach for the Colts for four seasons (1960-63).
● Took over the Colts head basketball coaching position for the next seven years (1960-67).
● Coached one season (1979) as a girls assistant basketball coach at Loveland H.S.
● Worked three years (1981-83) as an assistant football coach at Longmont Junior H.S. (LJrHS).
● Worked as the head girls basketball coach at LJrHS for three years (1984-86).

Achievements:
Coaching:
● Won two conference track championships under his tutelage (1957-58).
● Led his teams to back-to-back state runner-ups finishes in 1960 and 1961.
● The 1961 team was beat by George Washington by 1 pt in overtime.
● Coached the South squad in the 1962 All-State Game.

Related Activities:
● Named Activities Director at Pueblo South for two years (1966-67).
● Rocky Mountain Director of Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) for 10 years (1968-77).
● National Conference Director for FCA (1976-77).
● Helped as a founder of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) in Pueblo.

Honors:
Received the "Person-of-the-Year" FCA banquet in Pueblo (1994).

Occupation:
Teacher, coach and administrator.

Personal:
Lived in Longmont, CO with his wife, Jane...Passed away on April 1, 2018.


GPSA "B" By The Numbers

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

 1

All Sports
Ernest E. "Ernie" Ballotti (1981*)

Athlete/Contributor
Dave Baxter (1981*)

Attended Pueblo East H.S.
Jordan B. Berge (2000)

Basketball/Football Offical
Dave Baxter (1981*)

Boxing
Jim Blanc (1989)

City Parks Supervisor of Recreation
Leonard Butler (1998)

Coach
Tom Brockman (1994)

Coach/Contributor
Raymond T. Baker (2009)

Contributor
Ross Beatty (1977*)

Cross Country
James A. "Spank" Blasing (1979)

Girls Sports
Jessie F. Banks (1996)

Honorees Awarded Posthumously
Robert "Bob" Busia (2017*p)

Radio Announcer
Ross Beatty (1977*)

Tennis
Anne D. Beblavi (1995)

Wrestling
Jim Blanc (1989)

 

2
Basketball
James "Christy" Bivin (2010)
Jim Bongirno (1987*)

Softball
Robert "Bob" Bonner (2022)
Raymond T. Baker (2009)

Track
Richard Michael Busia (2017)
James A. "Spank" Blasing (1979)

Athlete
Michelle R. 'Shelly' Borton (2014)
Jeff Bonacquista (2007)
Anne D. Beblavi (1995)

3
Basketball
Michelle R. 'Shelly' Borton (2014)
James "Christy" Bivin (2010)
William F. "Bill" Brown (1994)

 

4
Attended Pueblo Central H.S.
Richard Michael Busia (2017)
Robert "Bob" Busia (2017*p)
Raymond T. Baker (2009)
Leonard Butler (1998)

Attended Pueblo South H.S.
Richard Michael Busia (2017)
Robert "Bob" Busia (2017*p)
Michelle R. 'Shelly' Borton (2014)
Jeff Bonacquista (2007)

Athlete/Coach/Contributor
Robert "Bob" Bonner (2022)
James "Christy" Bivin (2010)
Jim Blanc (1989)
Jim Bongirno (1987*)
James A. "Spank" Blasing (1979)

Attended Pueblo Centennial H.S.
James "Christy" Bivin (2010)
Anne D. Beblavi (1995)
Jim Blanc (1989)
Jim Bongirno (1987*)

Attended H.S. Inside Colorado
Dave Baxter (1981*)
Lamar H.S., Lamar, CO
Tom Brockman (1994)
Thomas Jefferson H.S., Denver, CO
Joe Bonacquista (1997)
Trinidad H.S., Trinidad, CO
William F. "Bill" Brown (1994)
Wray H.S., Wray, CO

Attended H.S. Outside Colorado
Jesse F. Banks (1996)
Lindsay H.S., Lindsey, OK
Ernest E. "Ernie" Ballotti (1981*)
Mooseheart H.S, Mooseheart, IL
James A. "Spank" Blasing (1979)
Manhattan H.S., Manhattan, KS
Ross Beatty (1977*)
Chicago H.S, Chicago, IL

Football
Richard Michael Busia (2017)
Robert "Bob" Busia (2017*p)
Tom Brockman (1994)
Jim Blanc (1989)

 

 

 

5
Honorees Deceased
Ernie Ballotti (1981*)
Robert "Bob" Busia (2017*p)
Jim Bongirno (1987*)
Dave Baxter (1981*)
Ross Beatty (1977*)

Baseball
Robert "Bob" Busia (2017*p)
James "Christy" Bivin (2010)
Jeff Bonacquista (2007)
Jordan B. Berge (2000)
Joe Bonacquista (1997)

 

6
Athlete/Coach
Richard Michael Busia (2017)
Robert "Bob" Busia (2017*p)
Jordan B. Berge (2000)
Leonard Butler (1998)
Joe Bonacquista (1997)
William F. "Bill" Brown (1994)

 

21
Honorees in "B" 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