{{Short description|American football player (born 1961)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}} {{Infobox NFL biography | name = Bob Bateson | image = | image_size = | alt = | caption = | number = 45 | position = [[Linebacker]] | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1961|05|14}} | birth_place = [[Chicago, Illinois]], U.S. | height_ft = 6 | height_in = 1 | weight_lbs = 220 | high_school = Eden Central ([[Eden, New York]]) | college = [[Cortland Red Dragons football|SUNY Cortland]] | undraftedyear = 1983 | pastteams = '''As player:''' * [[Hamilton Tiger-Cats]] ([[1984 CFL season|1984]]) * [[Buffalo Bills]] ({{NFL Year|1985}})* * [[:it:Blackhawks Cernusco|Seahawks Bellusco]] (1986–1988) '''As strength and conditioning coach:''' * [[Buffalo Rapids]] ([[2005–06 ABA season|2005–2006]]) * [[Buffalo Stampede]] ([[2008 Premier Basketball League season|2008]]) * [[Nigeria men's national basketball team|Nigeria]] ([[2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup|2019]]) '''As assistant coach:''' * [[The Park School of Buffalo]] (2017–2021) * [[Buffalo eXtreme]] (2023–2025) | highlights = '''As player:''' *[[Cortland Red Dragons|SUNY Cortland]] C-Club Hall of Fame (2023) *All-[[Eastern College Athletic Conference|ECAC]] Team (1982) *[[New York State Public High School Athletic Association|NYSPHSAA]] Section VI All-Star (1978) '''As assistant coach:''' * 2× [[Catholic High School Athletic Association|CHSAA]] Class A champion (2018, 2019) * [[New York state high school boys basketball championships|New York State Class A]] champion (2018) }}
'''Robert S. Bateson Jr.''' (born May 14, 1961) is an American former [[American football|football]] [[linebacker]] who played for [[Cortland Red Dragons football|SUNY Cortland]], and later professionally for the [[Hamilton Tiger-Cats]] and [[:it:Blackhawks Cernusco|Seahawks Bellusco]] in [[Italy]].
He became a [[personal trainer]] and [[strength and conditioning coach]] after retiring, and was associate head coach for [[The Park School of Buffalo]] and the [[Buffalo eXtreme]].
== Early life ==
Robert S. Bateson Jr. was born on May 14, 1961 in [[Chicago, Illinois]], the son of Genevieve (née Kruk) and [[investment manager]] Robert S. Bateson Sr.<ref name="m415">{{cite web | title=Robert Bateson | website=USA Official | date=September 9, 2022 | url=https://usa-official.com/Robert-bateson-NY | access-date=October 11, 2024}}</ref><ref name="Buffalo News 1994 c706">{{cite web | title=ROBERT S. BATESON SR. | website=Buffalo News | date=October 21, 1994 | url=https://buffalonews.com/news/robert-s-bateson-sr/article_f1c39c19-f60c-5223-9d5d-016c2ffe90da.html | access-date=November 17, 2023}}</ref>
His family moved to [[Columbus, Ohio]] in 1974, and later to [[Eden, New York]] in 1977.<ref name="Body Blocks Fitness 2011 k466">{{cite web | title=Ready, Set, Go! | website=Body Blocks Fitness | date=December 2, 2011 | url=https://bodyblocksfitness.com/ready-set-go/ | access-date=November 17, 2023}}</ref> Bateson played [[linebacker]] at Eden Central High School, and was named to the [[New York State Public High School Athletic Association|NYSPHSAA]] Section VI All-Star team as a senior in 1978.<ref name="The NYS Historic Newspapers 1978 o571">{{cite web | title=Courier Express 30 November 1978 | website=The NYS Historic Newspapers | date=November 30, 1978 | url=https://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/?a=d&d=coe19781130-01.1.7&srpos=13&e=-------en-20--1--txt-txIN-bateson+eden+football--------- | access-date=November 17, 2023}}</ref>
== Playing career ==
Bateson was originally recruited to play collegiate football at [[Kent State Golden Flashes football|Kent State University]], but couldn't afford the tuition after they only offered him a partial [[scholarship]].<ref name="YouTube v279">{{cite web | title=2023 Cortland C-Club Hall of Fame Inductee | website=YouTube | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iW2lL2bWxow | access-date=November 18, 2023}}</ref>
He was a four-year starter for [[Cortland Red Dragons football|SUNY Cortland]], captaining the team in 1982 when he set the school's single-season record for [[tackle (football move)|tackles]] with 140, and the single-game record for tackles with 23.<ref name="SUNY Cortland Athletics 2023 w426">{{cite web | title=Bobby "Bates" Bateson (2023) | website=SUNY Cortland Athletics | date=October 24, 2023 | url=https://www.cortlandreddragons.com/honors/suny-cortland-c-club-hall-of-fame/bobby-bates-bateson/541 | access-date=November 17, 2023}}</ref><ref name="SUNY Cortland Athletics 2023 b772">{{cite web | title=Football Record Book | website=SUNY Cortland Athletics | date=October 24, 2023 | url=https://www.cortlandreddragons.com/sports/2018/11/1/football-record-book.aspx | access-date=November 18, 2023}}</ref> Bateson was named to the 1982 All-[[Eastern College Athletic Conference|ECAC]] Team following his senior campaign.<ref name="The NYS Historic Newspapers 1982 i277">{{cite web | title=The Griffin 10 December 1982 | website=The NYS Historic Newspapers | date=December 10, 1982 | url=https://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/?a=d&d=grf19821210-01.1.14&srpos=28&e=-------en-20--21-byDA-txt-txIN-%22bob+bateson%22-------Erie-- | access-date=November 18, 2023}}</ref> He graduated in 1983 with a [[Bachelor of Science|BS]] in [[physical education]], concentrated in [[sports medicine]].<ref name="Body Blocks Fitness 2011 k466"/>
After his senior year at SUNY Cortland, he received tryouts with [[United States Football League]] teams including the [[Chicago Blitz]], [[New Jersey Generals]] and [[Pittsburgh Maulers (1984)|Pittsburgh Maulers]].<ref name="The NYS Historic Newspapers 1983 b928">{{cite web | title=The Press 16 December 1983 | website=The NYS Historic Newspapers | date=December 16, 1983 | url=https://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/?a=d&d=pre19831216-01.1.14&srpos=1&e=-------en-20--1--txt-txIN-bateson+usfl--------- | access-date=November 17, 2023}}</ref> He played professionally for the [[Hamilton Tiger-Cats]] of the [[Canadian Football League]] in 1984. Bateson was signed by the [[Buffalo Bills]] of the [[National Football League]] as a free agent in 1985, but released due to a knee injury.<ref name="SUNY Cortland Athletics 2023 w426"/> He finished his playing career in [[Italy]], competing for [[:it:Blackhawks Cernusco|Seahawks Bellusco]] in the [[Italian Football League]] from 1986 to 1988.
== Coaching career ==
Bateson founded the [[health club]] Body Blocks Fitness in 1988, located in downtown [[Buffalo, New York|Buffalo]].<ref name="Davis 2005 y887">{{cite web | last=Davis | first=Henry L. | title=Ex-Bill relocates fitness business to Pearl Street in $1 million rehab | website=Buffalo News | date=September 17, 2005 | url=https://buffalonews.com/news/ex-bill-relocates-fitness-business-to-pearl-street-in-1-million-rehab/article_7520be49-c50a-5e03-8e7e-c2358b5757d2.html | access-date=November 17, 2023}}</ref> He has served as [[personal trainer]] for professional athletes including [[Dave Hollins]].<ref name="Sullivan 1996 g100">{{cite web | last=Sullivan | first=Jerry | title=BASEBALL IS NOW A LAUGHING MATTER FOR TWINS' HOLLINS | website=Buffalo News | date=May 3, 1996 | url=https://buffalonews.com/news/baseball-is-now-a-laughing-matter-for-twins-hollins/article_54da2352-6941-56ba-b4d0-667bbf6b4d82.html | access-date=November 17, 2023}}</ref><ref name="Buffalo News 1997 s385">{{cite web | title=HOLLINS EMPLOYS TAKE-CHARGE SKILLS AGAINST DISEASE | website=Buffalo News | date=July 16, 1997 | url=https://buffalonews.com/news/hollins-employs-take-charge-skills-against-disease/article_4e8dc15b-3eba-50bf-86c4-a2c83c16dcc0.html | access-date=November 17, 2023}}</ref>
He was [[strength and conditioning coach]] under [[Richard Jacob]] for the [[Buffalo Rapids]] of the [[American Basketball Association (2000–present)|American Basketball Association]] from 2005 to 2006, and later for the [[Buffalo Stampede]] of the [[Premier Basketball League]] in 2008.<ref name="Davis 2005 y887"/><ref name="Niagara Gazette 2008 e321">{{cite web | title=BASKETBALL: Jacob resigns as coach of Buffalo hoops team | website=Niagara Gazette | date=December 16, 2008 | url=https://www.niagara-gazette.com/sports/basketball-jacob-resigns-as-coach-of-buffalo-hoops-team/article_cc084bd9-6fdf-5cb4-bbeb-4321dbabdfb5.html | access-date=November 17, 2023}}</ref> Bateson was hired by the [[Buffalo Bills]] to run informal team workouts during the [[2011 NFL lockout]].<ref name="FOX Sports 2011 f418">{{cite web | title=Bills open informal workouts in suburban Buffalo | publisher=FOX Sports | date=May 24, 2011 | url=https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/bills-open-informal-workouts-in-suburban-buffalo | access-date=November 17, 2023}}</ref> He served as strength and conditioning coach for the [[Nigeria men's national basketball team]] under [[Alexander Nwora]] at the [[2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup]].<ref name="SUNY Cortland Athletics 2023 w426"/>
Bateson served as associate head coach of [[The Park School of Buffalo]] under [[Richard Jacob]] from 2017 to 2021, where they won the 2018 [[New York state high school boys basketball championships|New York State Class A]] championship.<ref name="SUNY Cortland Athletics 2023 w426">{{cite web | title=Bobby "Bates" Bateson (2023) | website=SUNY Cortland Athletics | date=October 24, 2023 | url=https://www.cortlandreddragons.com/honors/suny-cortland-c-club-hall-of-fame/bobby-bates-bateson/541 | access-date=November 17, 2023}}</ref>
He was associate head coach of the [[Buffalo eXtreme]] under [[Richard Jacob]] from 2023 to 2025.<ref name="Bronstein 2023 q177">{{cite web | last=Bronstein | first=Jonah | title=Darren Fenn’s eXtreme Buffalo basketball venture: ‘We don’t want to be a flash in the pan’ | website=News 4 Buffalo | date=November 4, 2023 | url=https://www.wivb.com/sports/darren-fenns-extreme-buffalo-basketball-venture-we-dont-want-to-be-a-flash-in-the-pan/ | access-date=November 17, 2023}}</ref>
== Personal life ==
Bateson and his wife Paula own and operate RPB Holdings, a [[property management]] company.<ref name="RPB Holdings LLC v831">{{cite web | title=Home, RPB Holdings LLC | website=RPB Holdings LLC | url=https://rpbholdings.com/ | access-date=November 17, 2023}}</ref>
He was inducted into the [[Cortland Red Dragons|SUNY Cortland Athletics]] C-Club Hall of Fame in 2023.<ref name="Athletics 2023 p859">{{cite web | last=Athletics | first=SUNY Cortland | title=Cortland C-Club Hall of Fame to Add Seven New Members at Sept. 2 Induction Ceremony | website=SUNY Cortland Athletics | date=August 24, 2023 | url=https://www.cortlandreddragons.com/news/2023/8/24/cortland-c-club-hall-of-fame-to-add-seven-new-members-at-sept-2-induction-ceremony.aspx | access-date=November 17, 2023}}</ref>
== References == {{Reflist|30em}}
== External links == *[https://about.me/bobbateson Official website]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bateson, Bob}} [[Category:1961 births]] [[Category:American expatriate players of American football]] [[Category:American football linebackers]] [[Category:American strength and conditioning coaches]] [[Category:Buffalo eXtreme coaches]] [[Category:Cortland Red Dragons football players]] [[Category:Hamilton Tiger-Cats players]] [[Category:Italian Football League players]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Players of American football from Chicago]] [[Category:20th-century American sportsmen]]