Laura deGhetaldi – San Diego, CA
Track & Field – 1972-1975
Soccer Club – 1973-1978


Laura entered Chico State as a freshman from Daly City. She was a physical education major and competed in track & field all four years. Women’s soccer began in 1973 as a club with Laura being one of the charter members.

As an athlete at Chico State, Laura was an outstanding 880 runner, competing in the national championships in 1973-1975. Through her excellent soccer play at Chico State, Laura was offered a professional contract to play soccer for San Paulo Brazil in 1976. She instead taught at Orland High School and was the girls’ hockey head coach, boys and girls’ track & field assistant coach, and choreographed dance productions.

Laura left Chico to complete a master’s degree in physical education and adaptive physical education at the University of Oregon in 1978. She also completed her doctorate in physical education and adaptive physical education at the University of Northern Colorado in 1998.

Laura taught at the University of Colorado as a lecturer and instructor in the Department of kinesiology and supervisor of student teachers in the department of education from 1986-2001. The list of contribution to her profession during these years is extensive and impressive. She served as president of CAHPERD in Colorado. At the 2002 AAPHERD convention, Laura was one of the three keynote presentations and spoke on School Violence with the defense attorney representing Columbine High School. She worked as a consultant with the Colorado public schools on Conflict Resolution – School Violence Prevention .

Laura has been the recipient of numerous prestigious awards for her work. She received the Outstanding Adapted Physical Educator in the United States, presented by the Adaptive Physical Education Council in 1989. She has received numerous grants and had numerous articles published, as well as a short story. She is well known in Colorado for her organization of a service learning project known as The Breakfast Club. The goal of this project was to provide a before-school program for the multi-culturally diverse children in schools. The program offers an exercise session and a free nutritional breakfast.

Laura has recently moved to San Diego with her husband Bob Baker and four children.