Crandall High School has produced plenty of standout athletes over the years, but few built a college resume quite like Paul Teinert. A member of the Class of 2001, Teinert distinguished himself at Crandall in football and track and field. He later developed into one of the nation’s top collegiate javelin throwers.
His career took him from Crandall to Southern Methodist University and then to the University of California, Berkeley. There he became a Pac-10 champion, twice earned NCAA All-America honors and set the school record in the javelin.
For an athlete from a then much smaller Crandall High School, Teinert’s rise to the national stage was exceptional.
A Two Sport Standout at Crandall
Before Teinert became known nationally for the javelin, he was already an accomplished athlete at Crandall. Cal’s official biography lists Teinert as a 2001 Crandall High School graduate and a native of Combine.
Football was a major part of his high school career. As a senior, Teinert earned District MVP honors and was also recognized as Academic All-State. That combination reflected both athletic success and achievement in the classroom.
Those honors alone placed him among the more decorated Crandall football players of his era. But Teinert’s athletic future would ultimately be in track and field.
Beginning His College Career at SMU
Teinert initially remained close to home, competing in track and field at Southern Methodist University. He spent two years with the Mustangs and developed into a strong collegiate javelin thrower, recording a personal best of approximately 220 feet during his time at SMU.
Then his college career took an unexpected turn. SMU discontinued its men’s track and field program, forcing Teinert to find another place to continue competing.
He headed west. Teinert transferred to the University of California and joined a Golden Bears program competing in one of the strongest track and field conferences in the country.
A Breakthrough Season at Cal
Teinert’s 2005 season at California became his national breakthrough. Competing as a junior, he steadily improved throughout the year before delivering the defining throw of his season at the Pac-10 Championships in Los Angeles.
On his first attempt of the competition, Teinert launched the javelin 235 feet 11 inches. Nobody caught him.
The throw gave Teinert the Pac-10 championship and established a California school record. At the time, it was the best throw in Cal’s javelin history.
It also placed the former Crandall Pirate among the best collegiate throwers in the country. Cal later honored Teinert as one of its Most Outstanding Field Athletes for the season.
Becoming an NCAA All-American
Winning a major conference championship was only part of Teinert’s 2005 season. He also qualified for the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
Teinert advanced through the preliminary round and reached the national javelin final. He finished seventh at the NCAA Championships, earning All-America honors and scoring points for California.
That achievement alone made him one of the most accomplished NCAA athletes to emerge from Crandall High School. But Teinert was not finished.
Even Better as a Senior
Teinert returned for his senior season in 2006 as the defending Pac-10 champion and an established national contender. During the season, Cal listed him among the top javelin throwers in the country.
At the Pac-10 Championships, he narrowly missed repeating as conference champion. He finished second with a throw of 221 feet 10 inches.
He again qualified for the NCAA Championships, held that year in Sacramento. In his final collegiate competition, Teinert produced the best throw of his career.
On his third attempt of the NCAA final, he threw the javelin 236 feet. The mark broke his own California school record by one inch.
More importantly, the throw put Teinert in fifth place nationally. He earned All-America honors for the second consecutive season.
Twice an All-American
Teinert’s final two seasons at California established a college resume that would be difficult for any athlete to match. He won a Pac-10 title and earned NCAA All-America honors twice, finishing seventh nationally in 2005 and fifth nationally in 2006.
He also twice set California’s school record in the javelin. His first record measured 235 feet 11 inches, and his final record measured exactly 236 feet.
For perspective, that is more than three quarters the length of a football field. Teinert accomplished it while competing against the best collegiate javelin throwers in the United States.
From Crandall to the National Stage
Teinert’s career is especially notable because his path did not begin at a traditional track and field powerhouse. It began at Crandall High School.
He graduated in 2001 after establishing himself as a football standout and a strong student, then competed at SMU. When that opportunity disappeared with the elimination of the program, he transferred more than 1700 miles to California.
Instead of seeing his career disrupted, Teinert flourished. Within two seasons, he had become a conference champion and an NCAA All-American.
A year later, he improved his own school record and finished among the top five javelin throwers in NCAA competition.
One of Crandall’s Best
Determining the greatest athletes in a school’s history is always subjective, particularly when comparing different sports and generations. But Teinert’s achievements belong in any serious discussion of Crandall High School’s most accomplished former athletes.
Very few high school athletes ever compete at the NCAA Championships, and fewer still become All-Americans. Fewer still accomplish it twice while also winning a major conference championship and setting a school record at a university with the athletic history of California.
Paul Teinert did all of those things. From District MVP on the football field at Crandall to Pac-10 javelin champion and two time NCAA All-American at Cal, the Class of 2001 graduate built a collegiate career that remains an impressive chapter in Crandall athletics history.
