If it’s not easy to notice already, the culture at Siena Heights is heavily influenced by athletics. Of course, the athletes are the ones who keep the Siena reputation strong.

One of the influential coaches on campus is Tim Bauer. Bauer is the head coach for men’s cross country and the track and field team. An All-American athlete himself, he has produced some of the finest athletes who even competed at Olympic levels. He exemplifies himself as a tough, gutsy, hard-driven man who subtly pushes for the best out of each athlete he comes across, whether on his team or not.

Although Bauer is humble, he said he understands the importance of individuality and personal legacy. With his nephew, Bradley Bauer, now running under his wing, Bauer’s influence is even more emphasized. Even though there is now a legacy with the same last name at Siena, Coach Bauer still makes it a point that he doesn’t want Bradley to only “be known as (his) nephew,” but wants him to own “his own legacy.”

Coach Bauer said he got to watch Bradley in high school, where he and his brother also had running careers.

“I never said anything… I never gave him much advice until he started thinking about coming here,” Coach Bauer said. “I always let him do his thing.”

It wasn’t until Bradley gave the complete notion to run for Siena that Coach Bauer made the initiative to work with him.

Bradley holds similar characteristics: being a 4.0 student as well as a competitive runner. He notes how coach, “always wants (him) to do good, but he tries to not point it out in front of the other guys.”

He said having his uncle as a coach really makes his experience here, “really feel like home. The small-school atmosphere and having my uncle as a coach brings it home to me.”

Bradley studies actuarial science, which he said is very challenging.

“I’ve got to work for everything I get,” he said. “I’ve got to work just as much and as hard as everyone else.”

He makes it known Coach Bauer doesn’t give him any special treatment or favors, but that he treats everybody fair.

Although he said, “he is a little bit harder on me. Eh, but not really.”

“He always gives back and treats all the athletes like family,” Bradley said. “He really is a good coach, I’m really glad I came here. … He wants to make everyone tougher, that’s his main goal.”

He couldn’t be more right. Any one of his athletes know that Coach Bauer is all about being tough.

“As long as everyone is going 100 percent,” Coach Bauer said. “Not everybody is going to be the best student or the best runner, but you can try, and that’s my philosophy. Be somebody.”

Being somebody must be the ultimate Bauer legacy. And with that philosophy, it is guaranteed that it will happen for many of student-athletes.

Coach Bauer also said he looks forward to his other nephew running for Siena Heights in the next couple years. The legacy continues.