By SCOTT PURKS, Times Staff Writer
Published November 11, 2005
TAMPA - If not tonight, then within the next week, Jesuit's Bob Bauman almost certainly will win his 400th soccer match as a coach.
It has taken 19 years to reach this point and Bauman, who started at age 26, has spent 18 of those coaching years at Jesuit, compiling a 389-94-55 record. He was 10-2-4 in one season at Chamberlain.
"And I've loved every moment of it," said Bauman, who works as a commercial and contract lawyer by day. "I still love it. I love the challenge of taking a group of young men and making a team out of them. ... I'll keep going as long as I still have the fire for it. My son, Camden, is 7 so I think it might be nice to see him through graduation at Jesuit. Hopefully that's the way it will go."
Tonight the focus will be on Bartow and improving to 2-0 on this season, which of course would mean victory No. 400. If it doesn't work out tonight, Jesuit has another shot Saturday at 1 p.m. against rival Tampa Catholic.
The ultimate goal, as always, is winning a state championship, which Bauman's Tigers have done five times. One of those, in 2001, included a national championship as rated by Studentsports magazine.
"We'll just have to see," Bauman said. "I know we'll do everything we can do be the best we can be."
