Chris Baumler returns at running back and linebacker for the Lancaster Catholic High School football team in 2026. Here’s a Q&A conducted with Baumler at L-L League Football Media Day on Aug. 7.
Q: What’s your football journey individually?
“I started football in third grade. It was just because I wanted to play. I love the Philadelphia Eagles. I wanted to play. I started with flag football. Then switched to tackle football and haven’t stopped.”
Q: What does your passion for football look like off the field?
“I play a lot of Madden and college football video games. My favorite player is the Detroit Lions’ running back Jahmyr Gibbs.”
Q: What are you watching to help you improve on your game?
“On TikTok a linebacker drill or running back drill will pop up. Sometimes I’ll go on Youtube and watch highlights of running backs. Some videos will break it down to show you why the running back is doing it.”
Q: Anything you’ve improved on over the offseason?
“Trusting my speed. Normally I’d get shaky but I if I can beat somebody I can do that. I’m also working on patience at the line. Last year if I didn’t see something I would go and hit it. Now I’m more like let the play develop because it was called for a reason. See how it unfolds and go from there.”
Q: For the returning nucleus of this team, how has it grown since last season?
“Last year we were a team but we weren’t a family. We had smaller groups within our team. But we were never all one. This year we’re closer to being one than we were last year. That should help us when the season comes along, and its fourth-and-one or the game is on the line because we’ll be willing to push a little bit harder for each other because we’re like family.”
Q: Time for some fun questions: What is the most useless talent you have?
“I can solve a Rubix cube in under a minute. There’s a program at our school called Atollo, some of my classmates are in that. And in that they learn how to solve a Rubix cube. So I learned from them.”
Q: If you had to eat one food for every meal this season, what would it be?
“Steak or a type of fish.”
Q: Let’s say you had to swap lives with a teacher or a coach for a day. Who would it be and what are you doing?
“I’d swap lives with our offensive coordinator, David Butler, so I could direct the plays that I want run.”
Q: If you could go back in time and give yourself as a freshman, what would it be?
“Cherish every single game. I didn’t think it was going to go by so fast.”
