High School Teammates Reunited, Battling The Injury Bug & Wisdom For The Youth Of The Nation w/ Former Wilkes QB, Tyler Bernsten
In episode 119 we hear from my former high school teammate, Tyler Bernsten. Outside of football Tyler and I also worked the same landscaping job in the summer at Barnes III & Sons. Tyler and I had a blast reminiscing about games we played in, trips to Applebees for half-price appetizers and appreciating the opportunity and the lessons learned from playing football for the West Morris Central Wolfpack. Tyler takes us through his journey of bouncing back after throwing 5 interceptions in his first Varsity game to going pick-less in his senior year and ultimately becoming a division-1 college football player. This is my first attempt at a video podcast so please watch and share the YouTube video below. Let me know if this is something you want more of in the future. More talking points discussed in our conversation will be scattered throughout the rest of this post.
VIDEO VERSION:
"You invest so much time into one thing, and it is so hard when that is taken away in a second."
What went into Tyler's decision to play football at Monmouth University.
The difficult conversation Tyler had with his tight end coach at Monmouth when he decided to transfer to Wilkes to pursue his dream of playing quarterback.
What Tyler's Mom told him as a kid that sticks with him to this day.
How Tyler won the starting job at Wilkes without a red jersey.
Tyler's thoughts on youth tackle and flag football.
The role Tyler's Mom played in his love for football and his determination in playing quarterback.
Tyler handing the ball off to me in a game against Roxbury High School.
"It's okay to run out of bounds."
The importance of ignoring the ego when trying to stay healthy.
Tyler takes us through his laundry list of injuries while at Wilkes:
High ankle sprain
Concussion
Hamstring
Separated shoulder
Broken wrist (career ender)
The mental and emotional tole of these injuries and what kept him coming back for more in his last year of eligibility.
Tyler's advice to young quarterbacks.
How witnessing my injury impacted Tyler and his future teammates.
The unique bonds forged in high school football.
The transition to life after football.
"Never let someone in your life tell you, you can't do something."
- Tyler's Mom
Tyler quarterbacking the State Semi-playoff game in his senior season.
"It's a little piece of heaven, where our football field is."
- West Morris Central Wolfpack Head Coach, Kevin Hennelly
The football field remains a happy place for me to this day. I took this photo during a track workout a few years after graduating from WMC. It truly is a little slice of heaven and I am sure Tyler's Mom has something to do with that.
