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Luca Bernoth: Florida instead of regional league



Until recently, Luca Bernoth played for TuS Haltern in the Regionalliga. Since the summer he has been dreaming of professional football in the MLS at the US college. On FUSSBALL.DE you can find out what everyday life is like on a scholarship and why it wasn’t enough for a breakthrough at Schalke 04.

6 o’clock in the morning. The alarm clock is ringing. Short detour to the dream stand, which is only half an hour away? No time. Luca Bernoth finally moved to the USA to study. And for one of the most coveted football scholarships. Therefore, at 7.15 am, the first training takes place, after which there is a lot of work. The Atlantic has to wait first, duty at Florida Southern College calls.

On August 6, the plane took off from Frankfurt am Main in the direction of Tampa. Luca Bernoth shares an apartment there on campus with his buddy Leo and another German. Born in Recklinghausen, little Luca dreams of a professional career when his parents, after first trying to walk at SV Hochlar 28, enroll him in the famous “Knappenschmiede” of FC Schalke 04.

But at his heart club he is sorted out at 13, allegedly because he is not fast enough. The next station was Düsseldorf, with Fortuna he played in the junior Bundesliga, but it wasn’t enough for a professional contract. Then he switched to TuS Haltern, the home club of world champion Benedikt Höwedes, where he played in the Oberliga Westfalen and even in the regional league.

“That’s awesome. Last year I took the team bus to the away match in Sprockhövel with Haltern. Now I’ve been to Miami”

Strength training, video analysis and Co.

Then the unique opportunity arose: the Berger Feld comprehensive school, where national team captain Manuel Neuer graduated from high school, among others, maintains relationships with an agency that organizes scholarships in the USA. Luca Bernoth took part in an information interview with his parents about this career opportunity – and was interested. It took some time afterwards, but the adventure finally started in the summer of 2021. For almost four months now, the 20-year-old has been living a completely different life in the sunshine state than in Germany.

“The program is very demanding and has a tight schedule,” reports Luca Bernoth from his new home in Lakeland. After the early morning session, it’s off to campus, interrupted only by a short lunch break, then lectures, presentations and exams or, for a change, football issues such as strength training or video analyzes determine the day. “In the evenings I’m usually so exhausted that I fall into bed,” admits the midfielder.

Once a week there is enough time for a half-hour video call with the parents. From time to time he writes to his friends in Germany via WhatsApp or calls them via Facetime. The focus is on his academic and athletic training. Luca Bernoth is studying “International Business Administration”, comparable to studying business administration in Germany. He improved his rather average school English so quickly. Lectures in front of the assembled class are no longer difficult for him.

US professional football in sight

He was able to integrate himself even faster on the pitch. After two weeks of individual training and two weeks of preparation, including a few test games, the conferences started at the beginning of September. These are the regional leagues in which the season in the USA begins due to the size of the country. Which means: “You have to fly to the away game”, says Luca Bernoth. “That’s awesome. Last year I took the team bus to the away match in Sprockhövel with Haltern. Now I’ve been to Miami!”

Half an hour is enough to get from Lakeland to the metropolises of Tampa or Orlando. The Atlantic Ocean is just as close, and the 20-year-old is particularly fond of St. Pete Beach. “The quality of life is already very high here,” says Luca Bernoth. He’s been on the sunny side of life for four years until he hopefully graduates in 2025. Until then, he wants to recommend himself for US professional football via the American draft system. “The level of the Conference League is comparable to the regional league or good teams in the upper league in Germany,” says Luca Bernoth. “The scholarship holders are usually better than the US boys. One of the Germans comes from 1. FC Saarbrücken. Here at the college, for example, there is a Spaniard who played for Espanyol Barcelona and was also on the field against Barca or Real . ”

On December 15th, Luca Bernoth flies home first. Christmas is celebrated at home with the family, New Year’s Eve with friends. It’s back to Florida in mid-January, then the next two and a half month season starts – and if things go well, Luca Bernoth occasionally comes to the beach.

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