A PIERCE ORIGINAL Life long Brahma dedicates career to school’s student athletes

Kashish

“Memories pressed within my mind … memories,” croons a deep male voice in a South Gym office hugged between the volleyball and baseball coaches’ offices.

Though Bob Lofrano often breaks into a tune, his reason for breaking into the Elvis Presley song is a case of nostalgia as he thinks about the decades he has spent with Pierce College first as a student baseball player and now as athletics director.

“I went to our volleyball match when our girls played at Moorpark College recently,” Lofrano said. “What flashed into my mind is, ‘I remember when I was playing for Pierce. I hit a two home runs at the top of the 13th inning to win the game here.’”

During his years here in 1968 to 1969 as second baseman for Pierce, Lofrano recalled his coach, Joe Kelly, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame and which the Joe Kelly Field is named after.

“He was a great inspiration to me. He even told me, ‘You’re like a coach on the field.’ I’ll always remember that,” he said. “He was right because I coached for 35 years between Chatsworth High School and Pierce.”

He illustrated a different era at Pierce when he talked about his experience with the Vietnam War, how he watched the draft at school on someone’s TV set, and how he would’ve been drafted had he not been a full-time student and had his student deferment since his birth date.

“I have a memory of that like it happened last night,” Lofrano said. “Mine came on Day 150.”

After going on to California State University, Northridge from Pierce as a physical education major and then teaching at Chatsworth High School, he taught P.E. here full time and was the baseball coach.

“Coaching a ball player is a different connection with a young man or a young woman,” Lofrano said. “You’re with them three hours a day for five, six days a week, so it’s not like going to your English class for an hour a day.”

Since he knew from a young age that if he didn’t become a professional Cubs player that he wanted to a coach, he explained that he had some of his best memories from his period of coaching.

“You get a special connection with them,” he said. “Some of them become almost like sons to you over the years.”

But athletics is not the only place where the director becomes deeply involved in, according to baseball head coach John Bushart, who has known Lofrano for 18 years.

“Pierce athletics has been very successful on and off the field,” Bushart said. “Without Bob I don’t think any of that would have happened, and I don’t think Pierce would be as successful as it is.”

Another close colleague of Lofrano’s, Dean of Academic Affairs Barbara Anderson, also said Lofrano has influenced Pierce College in other areas than just academics, using an example of a time when the school didn’t have a place for the writing lab because of construction.

“Even if another department needed help with something, he would try to help us get something done,” Anderson said. “One time a classroom needed chairs, so Bob helped move chairs around. He’s done things that are officially out of his job description but have been good for the campus and has filled a need when there is one.”

Anderson felt that because Lofrano cares so much for the school by doing such things in addition to athletics that he could possibly tackle another position at Pierce College yet again.

“He really bleeds Pierce scarlet,” Anderson said. “He’s a great ambassador for the college. In fact, I think that’d be a great role for him.”

No matter what role he does take on, Lofrano like the time he has spent with Pierce, and his colleagues seemed to not want it any other way.

”Overall, I think the campus is better off because of who he is and that he’s here,” Anderson said. “And because he breaks into song everywhere he goes. It makes the campus a more joyous place.”

Jane Natenstedt wins individual state competition in tennis. Women’s tennis wins back-to-back state championships going an impressive 24-0 run in conference play in the ‘78 and ‘79 seasons.

1982

Women’s tennis wins its third state championship after three years.

1992

Mens volleyball wins state championship.

1998

Barry Zito posted a 2.62 ERA and went 9-2 with 135 strikeouts in 103 innings. He was named to the All-State and All-Conference teams. Zito transferred to USC the following year where he was named Pac-10 pitcher of the year.

Zito was drafted as the 9th overall pick by the Oakland Athletics. In 2002 Zitto won the American League Cy Young Award. He went on to join cross town rival the San Francisco Giants in 2006 and won World Series title in 2010 and 2012.

1979

Alexandra Ordonez went on to win the individual state championship in tennis.

1984

Football finishes season with a perfect 10-0 record

Eric Kramer quarterback of the football team that went undefeated transferred to North Carlonia State where he was named Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year in ‘86.

In ‘88 Kramer went north of the border to play for the Calgary Stampeders in the Canadian Football League.

Kramer went on to play with the Detroit Lions signing with the team in ‘93 . While with the Lions Kramer lead the team to an NFC Central Division title and brought the Lions to the NFC Championship game.

In ‘95 Kramer signed with the Chicago Bears and set the team’s singleseason records for attempts (522), completions (315), yards (3,838) and touchdowns (29).

Kramer is currently working at Fox Sports Network Detroit covering the Lions as an in-studio analyst.

1999

Covelli “Coco” Crisp earned 1st Team All-Conference as a centerfielder, leading the team in Batting Average, Home Runs, and Stolen Bases.

Following his single year at Pierce, Crisp entered the MLB draft where he was selected by the St. Louis Cardinals. He was eventually traded to the Cleveland Indians in 2002 where he made his Major League debut. In 2006 the Boston Red Sox traded for Crisp where the team went on to win the 2007 World Series.

Crisp is now playing with the Oakland Athletics where the team won the American League West Division this past season.

2000-2003 2006

Alexandra Rodgers broke 4 of Pierce College’s swimming records and was named AllAmerican in 2 events, as US National Champion in the 50yard Backstroke and the 100-yard Backstroke.

Mens volleyball went on an impressive four year wining streak taking back-to-back-to-back-to-back state championships.

2010-2012

Women’s volleyball made an impressive three-peat winning back-to-backto-back state championships including going undefeated in overall play in 2011 and 2012.