Sollie Simon "Sol" Raso


Year Inducted: 1976
Nominated By: N/A
Sports Competed In: N/A
Athlete, Coach or Contributor: Coach, Contributor

Sollie RasoSollie Raso

High School:
Attended North Denver H.S., graduating in 1940.

Achievements:
High School:
Played on the football (halfback) and track teams (sprints).

College:
Went to the University of Colorado and graduated in 1947.

Achievements:
College:
● Played on the Buffaloes football team at halfback and ran the sprints on the track squad.
● Holds the school record for the 50 yd dash (5.3 seconds).

Honors:
Served in the Army and Air Force as a Nose Gunner on a B-17 during WWII served over Europe.

Coaching Career:
● Head wresting and track coach at Pueblo Central H.S. for 11 years (1946-46).
● Head football coach for eight seasons for the Wildcats from 1948-55.
● Career coaching record was 58-17-3 for a .763 winning percentage.

Below is a breakdown of his record:

Year:
1948
1949
1950
1951
1952
1953
1954
1955

Record:
9-2-1
8-1-0
9-1-0
6-1-0
3-5-2
9-2-0
7-2-0
7-3-0

 

Achievements:
Coaching:
● He led the Wildcats to three state playoff berths, losing each time in the state semifinals:
● Lost to Ft. Collins, 13-20 in State Semi-finals (11/24/1949).
● Lost to Grand Junction, 6-21 in State Semi-finals (11/22/1951).
● Lost to East Denver, 7-19 in State Semi-finals (11/28/1953).

Professional Affiliations:
● Principal at Pueblo Central H.S. for 11 years (1956-67).
● Worked as the Activities Director for School District #60 (Pueblo City Schools) for 13 years (1967-82).
● Retired after 35 years with School District #60 and had more than 500 day accrued sick leave.
● Raso was a member of the Colorado High School Activities Association (CHSAA) Hall of Fame.
● Responsible for bring the First State Track & Field Championships to Pueblo District #60 "Dutch Clark" Stadium in the early 1980's.
● Served as the "First President" of the Greater Pueblo Sports Association (GPSA) for two years (1972-73)
● Guided the GPSA association through the early years and served on many committees during his 31 years as an active member.
● Sollie was the FIRST to be voted with "Lifetime Membership" into the GPSA in 2008...According to Hoy Frakes, Raso was "The George Washington of the GPSA”.

Occupations:
● Teacher, coach and principal at Pueblo Central H.S.
● Activities Director School District #60.
● Served two four-year terms as Pueblo County Commissioner beginning in 1984.

Personal:
Lived in Pueblo... Married to his wife, Betty Lou...Passed away on June 9, 2016.


GPSA "R" By The Numbers

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

1
Administrator/Coach
Sollie Simon "Sol" Raso (1976> LM)

Athlete/Contributor
Dean Rougas (2019)

Attended Pueblo Roncalli H.S.
Michael Daniel "Dan" Radiff (1997)

Lifetime Member of GPSA
Sollie Simon "Sol" Raso (1976>LM)

 

 2
Attended First Meeting
Carmen Angelo Rivas (*1999>)
Sollie Simon "Sol" Raso (1976>LM)

Attended Pueblo Centennial H.S.
Richard D. Redd (2004*)
Dr. Charles Dale Rea (1978*)

Attended Pueblo East H.S.
David A. Ryder (2018)
Kenneth C. "Ken" Ramos (2008)

Golf
Pat Allen Rea (1997)
Richard "Rich" Riesner (1993)

Track
David A. Ryder (2018)
Michael Daniel "Dan" Radiff (1997)

 

 

 

3

Athlete/Coach/Contributor
Edward R. "Ed" Renck (2008)
Carmen Angelo Rivas (*1999>)
Daniel Joseph "Rosie" Rosales (2002*)

Attended Pueblo South H.S.
Ed A. "Heavy" Reinert (2015)
Bradley Earl "Brad" Ranson (1998)
Richard "Rich" Riesner (1993)

Athlete/Coach/Administrator
Fred John Rodriquez (2001)
John Lawrence Rivas (1984*)
Dr. Charles Dale Rea (1978*)

Contributor
Robert Hoag "Bob" Rawlings (1999)
Bradley Earl "Brad" Ranson (1998)
Jimmie Earl "Jim" Ranson (1978*)

Wrestling
Ed A. "Heavy" Reinert (2015)
Richard D. Redd (2004*)
Carmen Angelo Rivas (*1999>)

 

4
Attended H.S. In Colorado
Robert Hoag "Bob" Rawlings (1999)
Las Animas H.S., Las Animas, CO
Anthony J. "Tony" Ribaudo (1998)
Trinidad H.S., Trinidad, CO
Jimmie Earl "Jim" Ranson (1978*)
Canon City H.S., Canon City, CO
Sollie Simon "Sol" Raso (1976> LM)
North Denver H.S., Denver, CO

 

5
Athlete
David A. Ryder (2018)
James G. "Jim" Reynolds (2013)
Richard D. Redd (2004*)
Pat Allen Rea (1997)
Jimmie Earl "Jim" Ranson (1978*)

Baseball
Dean Rougas (2019)
Kenneth C. "Ken" Ramos (2008)
Carmen Angelo Rivas (*1999>)
Anthony J. "Tony" Ribaudo (1998)
Jimmie Earl "Jim" Ranson (1978*)

 

6
Basketball
Dean Rougas (2019)
David A. Ryder (2018)
James G. "Jim" Reynolds (2013)
Bradley Earl "Brad" Ranson (1998)
Anthony J. "Tony" Ribaudo (1998)
Jimmie Earl "Jim" Ranson (1978*)

7
Attended Pueblo Central H.S.
Dean Rougas (2019)
James G. "Jim" Reynolds (2013)
Edward R. "Ed" Renck (2008)
Daniel Joseph "Rosie" Rosales (2002*)
Fred John Rodriquez (2001)
Carmen Angelo Rivas (*1999>)
John Lawrence Rivas (1984*)

Honorees Deceased
Daniel Joseph "Rosie" Rosales (2002*)
Richard D. Redd (2004*)
Carmen A. Rivas (*1999>)
Pat A. Rea (1997*)
John Lawrence Rivas (1984*)
Jimmie Earl "Jim" Ranson (1978*)
Dr. Charles Dale Rea (1978*)

 

8
Athlete/Coach
David A. Ryder (2018)
Ed A. "Heavy" Reinert (2015)
James G. "Jim" Reynolds (2013)
Kenneth C. "Ken" Ramos (2008)
Bradley Earl "Brad" Ranson (1998)
Anthony J. "Tony" Ribaudo (1998)
Michael Daniel "Dan" Radiff (1997)
Richard "Rich" Riesner (1993)

Football
David A. Ryder (2018)
Ed A. "Heavy" Reinert (2015)
James G. "Jim" Reynolds (2013)
Richard D. Redd (2004*)
Anthony J. "Tony" Ribaudo (1998
Michael Daniel "Dan" Radiff (1997)
Richard "Rich" Riesner (1993)
Jimmie Earl "Jim" Ranson (1978)

 

20
Honorees in "R" Section

 

 

 

 

REMEMBERING OUR FALLEN GPSA INDUCTEES

The Greater Pueblo Sports Association (GPSA) has announced a list of honorees that have passed since the 2023 induction ceremony on Nov. 15.

 

 

Daniel RosalesDaniel
Rosales

12/13/2023
Class of 2002

Everett C. ThalhamerEverett C.
Thalhamer

12/23/2023
Class of 2014

Bob GrahamBobby Max
Graham

02/26/2024
Class of 1990