South City’s Luis Bernardino is getting noticed

“I was shocked,” said Bernardino, 18, a 5-9, 225-pound center. “The dream is to play at the next level, especially from a school like South City. It’s not really known. Just getting an offer is really surprising.”

It’s amazing Bernardino received an offer at all, frankly. A three-year varsity player, Bernardino has not taken a snap since his sophomore year. He missed the 2019 season with an injury and there is a good chance he won’t play his senior year because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Like a lot of unheralded athletes, Bernardino was content to simply go the junior college route. But he can thank South City’s new football coach Dion Evans, who hasn’t officially coached a play for the Warriors, for getting him something he believed would never come.

“We’ve been putting out a lot of information about him,” Evans said. “It’s honorable to be offered. It’s another level of rarity. There are a lot of kids who won’t get anything close to an offer.

“I tell our kids, ‘If you get an offer. Great. We’ll celebrate it. But an offer doesn’t mean nothing until you get in to school.’”

One of the main reasons Bernardino got noticed was from the three showcase events he attended — a collection of high school football players who will sprint, jump and do other various football-related activities as a way to show off their skills to college coaches. The event organizers will then upload video of the athlete to the internet, which is then accessed by college coaches.

Bernardino admitted he was intimidated attending the first showcase.

“I had never been to any showcases,” Bernardino said. “I was, like, the smallest lineman. I had to crane my neck up to see some of these guys. ‘What year are you? A sophomore.’

“But I trusted myself. I trusted what my coaches taught me. I’m not the biggest, strongest, fastest athlete. But I am determined.”

Adding to improbable nature of the receiving a college offer is the fact Bernardino is changing positions. He was a fullback and linebacker his sophomore year, but Evans decided to move him to center on the offensive line.

It wasn’t because Evans thought Bernardino could not be a good fullback. It was because the coach thought the player could be an excellent center.

“I was looking at his leadership. [Playing center] is not just snapping the ball. You have to make line calls. You have to be intelligent,” Evans said. “He’s embraced [the position change] and been working his butt off.”

Bernardino admitted he was not thrilled to hear about the position change, but also realized that if it was what was best for the team, he would do it.

“I was shocked. I had mixed emotions. I was a little bit angry and annoyed,” Bernardino said. “But then maturity kicked in. … It’s time to step up. There is an open role and it was something I had to do. I’ll be mature and fill the role, even if it means sacrificing a position (I wanted to play). If it’s something that will make the team prosper, then I’m all for it.”

Despite getting an offer to McPherson College, the recruiting process is just starting. Bernardino is hoping that this first offer will lead to more choices and is betting on himself to have the ability to play football in college.

“Never be satisfied, but be satisfied with what you put out,” Bernardino said. “I’m going to keep doing what I do and hopefully more offers will start rolling in.”