CHATTER: RUHLE CALLS IT A CAREER.

Byline: Vincent Bonsignore Staff Writer

The decision came as a shock to his parents, not to mention the San Jose State coaching staff, but Eric Ruhle finally decided he couldn't cope with being hurt anymore.

So he retired from football.

Ruhle, the former Oak Park and Valley College wide receiver, left the San Jose State football team a day after catching four passes and a touchdown against Colorado State four weeks ago.

After overcoming three major knee injuries, Ruhle could no longer manage during his senior year.

``He called us at 1:30 a.m. and said it was a decision he'd been agonizing over for months,'' said Roger Ruhle, Eric's father. ``He felt like if he continued to play at the level he was - which was about 80 percent - he'd walk away from football as a cripple. He realized the he had his whole life ahead of him and he wanted to be a productive person and still do the things he wanted without pain.''

Ruhle suffered his first knee injury - a torn anterior cruciate - as a high school junior in 1995. He came back the following year to earn All-Southern Section honors, then played at Valley College for two years.

The second injury occurred in 1997 as a junior at San Jose State, one week after catching seven passes against Stanford in his first college game.

Ruhle played a full season last year, catching 20 passes in the Spartans' rotating receiver set. After an excellent spring this year, then playing well during the first two games, Ruhle was emerging as a go-to player.

But he was still hurting.

``He just felt he couldn't do it physically or mentally anymore,'' Roger Ruhle said. ``He's been practicing non-stop almost every day to get healthy for the past three years. It all caught up to him.''

Ruhle, who is majoring in sports management, hopes to land a job in the surfing or snow-boarding industry after graduation. . . .

Former Grant High basketball standout Gilbert Arenas is on the verge of earning a prominent role as a freshman at the University of Arizona. Arenas has been impressive in practice, especially with his passing and athletic ability. Sophomore Ruben Douglas, formerly of Bell-Jeff, is also with the Wildcats. He is building off the final four regular-season games last year, in which he averaged 16.5 points per game. . . .

Simi Valley's Rafael Berumen should be a factor in his first year at New Mexico. The Lobos lost bruising forward Kenny Thomas to the NBA, meaning Berumen (6-foot-9) is competing with Brian Smith, Damon Walker, Wayland White and R.T. Gunn for minutes in the frontcourt. If Berumen maintains intensity, he'll play significant minutes as a freshman. . . .

The Enforcers of Simi Valley, a girls' fastpitch softball club, welcomes all teams in the 14-under and 10-under age groups to participate in the 1999 Fall Finale Softball tournament Nov. 6-7. Information: 805-577-9253 or [phone].

Former Rio Mesa standout Loesje Guizar recently was hired as the Moorpark College women's tennis coach.

Guizar played for approximately 25 years and through her experience with the Southern California Tennis Association she's been a private instructor and organizes tournaments at the Spanish Hills Country Club. After graduating from Rio Mesa, Guizar attended Stanford and finished her academic career at Cal State Northridge.