Boys’ soccer: Santa Margarita’s coach Curt Bauer retires

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Santa Margarita boys’ soccer coach Curt Bauer isn’t just retiring from soccer, he is rejoining his family.

Over the last three years the Eagles have won the Southern Section-Toyota Division I championship three times. Last season, Santa Margarita also won the Trinity League title and inaugural Southern California Regional Division II championship for the high school equivalent of The Treble.

During those same three years, however, Bauer only attended five of his eldest daughter’s 21 cheerleading competitions and two of his youngest daughter’s 30 JV soccer games.

‘And that’s actually pretty messed up,’ Bauer, 42, said Tuesday.

In an e-mail sent to players and parents on Sunday informing them of his decision, Bauer wrote,’It wasn’t until this amazing season that I realized I have been giving 100% of my energy to soccer and much less to my family.’

A recent promotion in his day job as an HVAC agent also factored into his decision. Bauer, who was not a teacher on campus, will head up a new division that will require more hours and a lot of traveling. His new assignment won’t prevent him from attending his daughter’s sporting events.

Bauer, who began his coaching career at Mater Dei when he was 18, built Santa Margarita into a nationally recognized program. Under his guidance, the Eagles won eight Southern Section championships and nine league titles. Santa Margarita (25-2-4) finished this past season No. 4 in the Soccer.Rivals.com FAB 50 national winter rankings.

In a show of support, members of the soccer team wore their three-peat championship T-shirts to school on Monday, even though they risked punishment for being out of uniform.

Bauer, who said he is not likely to return to coaching, said he’s already received 50 to 60 calls and e-mails from kids and former players since announcing his decision.

‘Nobody knows what life holds, but no, I don’t plan on returning,’ Bauer said. ‘I’m going to miss it. I started playing when I was 7 and I’m now 42. Soccer has been my life and I’m going to miss it.’

-- Jaime Cardenas