Chapman Trainer Trying to Get On-Field Experience

Chapman trainer Jack Bauerle is always seeking internship opportunities for students in Chapman’s athletic training program, so that was his first thought when he learned an Arena Football League team was moving to Orange County.

But Bauerle now has a more personal interest in the Piranhas: he might play for them.

Bauerle, a 6-foot-2, 265-pound lineman, participated in an invitation-only tryout at the Pond Sunday. He was among about 25 of the more than 300 players at a public tryout last month who were asked back.

Bauerle, 30, played football at Servite, graduating in 1983, but never received much notice on the team that Steve Beuerlein led to a section title in 1982. The main reason? Bauerle was a 5-10, 170-pound tight end.

“When I was at Servite, I was physically immature,” Bauerle said, “so it was hard for me to compete.”

Things have certainly changed. Bauerle, also an adjunct professor in the university’s sports medicine program and Chapman’s strength coach, grew four inches and steadily added the extra weight with dedicated training.

He also got faster. He was timed at 4.8 seconds in the 40-yard dash, the second-fastest time for a lineman, at the tryout. “At Servite, I couldn’t run any faster than 5.2 in the 40,” Bauerle said.

Bauerle probably will be asked back to another tryout, according to Ian Welsh, Piranha director of player personnel. “He doesn’t have a big football background, but he’s a solid athlete. He’s learning some things on the run, but he’s a quick learner,” Welsh said.

“I don’t think we can go wrong to bring Jack back, because he’s a guy that’s going to keep improving.”

It might be a longer shot for Bauerle to make the team, however. Welsh said the Piranhas probably will sign only two of the six or seven linemen they are trying out.

Bauerle, who played with the Southern California Fire semipro team last summer, says he is just happy to be in the running.

“If I have an opportunity to play, I’m going to jump on it,” he said. “It would be one of the best summers I could possibly imagine.

“And we’ve pretty much established another internship site for the students, which for me is as important as me playing.”

*

Concordia forward Jeff Putnam’s return from a broken elbow has been spectacular.

When Putnam sustained the injury, when taking a charge Feb. 3 against Cal Baptist, Concordia believed the senior would miss the rest of the season. But Putnam was determined to return and worked hard to rehabilitate the injury.

“The doctor said it was up to me,” Putnam said. “He said I wouldn’t be 100%, but 80% is better than nothing, and I wanted to be out there for the last home game.”

Saturday against Westmont, Putnam returned with his right arm taped from mid-biceps to wrist. He said it hurt when he fully extended it, but his performance didn’t seem to suffer. Putnam, the Golden State Athletic Conference leader in rebounding, had 14 points and 12 rebounds in the Eagles’ 87-80 victory.

Tarik James, who was named conference player of the week, scored 18 points. The Eagles (20-8, 9-4 in conference) are one game behind first-place Azusa Pacific (23-6, 10-3) and finish the regular season at Southern California College (18-11, 8-5) tonight.

*

Concordia Athletic Director Mary Holl has been promoted to vice president of university services, the university announced.

Holl, athletic director the last seven years, recently returned from a year’s sabbatical to complete her doctorate in institutional management at Pepperdine.

Notes

Concordia’s Angela Sather was named Golden West Athletic Conference player of the week. The Eagles (22-7, 10-3 in conference) are in third place, a game behind Fresno Pacific (18-9, 9-2) and Biola (16-10, 9-2). Fresno hosts Biola in a regular-season finale Saturday. Concordia is at Southern California College (10-18, 2-9) tonight. The playoffs start Tuesday. . . . Kathy Kaupu, a forward on the Chapman women’s basketball team, was named NCAA Division III West Region player of the week by Columbus Multimedia. . . . . Chapman’s Margaret Reilly set six school records at the Pacific Coast Swimming Conference championships last week. Reilly, a senior, set records in the 50-, 200- and 500-yard freestyle and helped three relay teams, the 200-, 400- and 800-freestyle, set records. . . . In women’s track and field, Chapman’s Mary Folino broke her school record in the 200 meters at the Pomona-Pitzer all-comers meet. Folino won her heat in 26.72, beating her mark of 27.02 seconds set last year. Natalie Neat broke a nine-year-old school record in the long jump with a mark of 15 feet 11 3/4 inches. . . .