ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, July 28, 1996 TAG: 9607300064
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C-11 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: RADFORD
SOURCE: BOB TEITLEBAUM STAFF WRITER
Scott Bauman plans on hanging a sign on his car that reads ``Team Bauman.''
It's not a bad idea.
Scott, the father of Carie (13- and 14-year-old girls), Andy (11-12 boys) and Mark (9-10 boys), combined with his offspring to score 465.50 points during the weekend at the Roanoke Valley Aquatic Association Duane Whitenack swim meet. (Results in Scoreboard.)
The Baumans' points weren't enough to give Spring Run the team title Saturday at Radford University's Dedmon Center pool, but the family scored more points than two complete teams. Add the points the Baumans' relay teams scored in two races, and the family beat another complete team.
While the Baumans were the top family, Roanoke Country Club was the top team, finishing more than 600 points ahead of three-time defending champion Elks Club.
As for the Baumans, Carie and Andy scored 297 points of a possible 300 with seven firsts in the 10 individual events each swimmer is allowed to enter. Andy Bauman, swimming as a first-year entrant in his class, set three records. Next year he'll have the honor of chasing his own marks.
This is no fly-by-night family of swimmers. The three youngsters all compete in the Gold Division, toughest of the three sections. They scored points in every event they entered, meaning they earned 15 medals.
Only Kathy Bauman, the mother and wife in the swimming Bauman family, doesn't participate in the competition.
``If there was a sidestroke race, she'd be swimming,'' said husband Scott.
``Or if there was a race for treading water,'' Kathy Bauman said with a smile.
Scott Bauman says his children come by their water talents naturally. That's because the elder Bauman grew up in Eagle River, Wis., where he lived on Lake Pickeral and his family was interested in water sports. Each of the youngsters followed him into the water at the age of 3 months.
Before you get the notion this is a one-dimensional group, guess again. Both Bauman boys also are talented soccer players, and Carie plays softball in addition to soccer.
The three youngsters started on the piano, but now Carie (clarinet) and Andy (trumpet) have taken up band instruments.
Andy Bauman's domination of his age group was a surprise. His one loss was to Brett Fonder in the 100-yard freestyle, but both swimmers broke the meet record in that event.
Andy Bauman recalls his father signing him up for a swim team.
``I like soccer and swimming equally,'' he said. ``I sort of surprised myself, just breaking records in this meet. Next year, I'll just try to improve on times.''
Carie Bauman, who said she also enjoys swimming and soccer equally, recalls swimming at a young age because ``it was something that was fun. I didn't take it seriously until I was 11 years old.''
Mark Bauman isn't old enough to take up a band instrument, but says, ``I don't like the piano. I also like soccer better [than swimming] and I told my dad,'' said the youngest Bauman, who next year will jump up to the same class as his brother.
Scott Bauman said he was not all that surprised at how well his children performed.
``They had the potential all along. I sort of expected it of Andy, but Carie has stepped up and Mark has also done very well for the two days,'' he said.
Bauman moved to the Roanoke area while working for a company based in Illinois. He settled down and started a family and a business, Abal Material Handling.
``My parents asked me six months after I moved to Roanoke when I was coming home. I told them I had found my home,'' said Bauman, sounding like a spokesman for the Roanoke area chamber of commerce which recently presented him with the Small Business Person of the Year award.
Roanoke Country Club used its superior depth to break Elks Club's hold on first, according to David Feldman, who shares RCC coaching duties with John Kennedy.
``We got a lot from our younger kids like Susan Barr [6-and-under girls], Emery Wallace and Claire Dickey [7-8 girls] and Joseph Dickey (6-and-under boys], plus our adults,'' Feldman said.
For the two days of the meet, David Phillips (Olympic Park), Louis Tudor (Lake Drive) and Carol Reichel (Our Lady of Nazareth) set four records and Bernetta McGuire (Our Lady of Nazareth) and Andy Bauman set three.
Sue Blackwell of Elks Club was given the Whitenack award for contributions to the RVAA program; Sara Gubala of Stonegate received the George Devins Scholarship; and Irene Hurley, who heads the results committee and is one of the RVAA's longtime members, was presented a certificate of appreciation that will be awarded every year.
LENGTH: Medium: 96 linesby CNB