Shot Put, Discus, Hammer, Javelin Coach Lasorsa of Palm Desert Honored

Palm Desert resident Rob Lasorsa, former All-America shot put and National Throws Coaches founder, was inducted into the Springfield College Alumni Hall of Fame in Massachusetts on Oct. 18, according to National Throws.

Lasorsa is well known in track and field, and as founder of National Throws he helps coaches across the U.S. in shot put, discus, hammer and javelin.

The Springfield College Alumni Hall of Fame includes sports legends such as basketball inventor James Naismith, Univeristy of Chicago football pioneer Amos Alonzo Stagg, and amateur basketball authority Ed Steitz, according to National Throws.

Lasorsa competed in shot put at Springfield College. In 1982 he earned All-America status in the event, and he was named Springfield College Male Athlete of the Year as a junior, according to National Throws. Since his days at SC, Lasorsa has become the founder and President of the National Throws Coaches Association.

"In 1995, Lasorsa was named U.S. Track & Field Men’s Shot Put Coordinator, a position he still holds at the time of his SC Athletics Hall of Fame induction," a National Throws announcement stated. "Since being named the Coordinator, the U.S. has won one Olympic gold medal, three additional Olympic medals, five World Outdoor titles, five World Outdoor silver medals, three World Indoor titles, three World Indoor silver medals, and earned eight Track & Field No. 1 World titles."

Like many Springfield College Alumni Hall of Fame inductees, Lasorsa attributes his career to his alma mater.

"Every position that I've received had some type of Springfield connection," Lasorsa said. "Whether it was my first job or jobs after that or things that I do now, it was always a Springfield connection. . . . There's no way we’d be doing the things we've been doing the last number of years if it wasn't for the people at Springfield."

For more information about National Throws, visit www.nationalthrowscoachesassociation.com.

Springfield College in Springfield, Mass., was founded in 1885. For more information, visit www.spfldcol.edu.

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