Profile: Bo Bernhard '95

By Buffy Clifford
Harvard Sports Information
November 5, 1994

Most people in Las Vegas find their fortune at a blackjack table or at the slot machines, but for senior Bo Bernhard his best bet has been playing for the Harvard soccer and baseball teams. A dual-sport athlete and native of Las Vegas, NV, Bo can't seem to get enough of Ohiri and Soldiers Fields. One could say, he is doubling-down on his investment in Harvard athletics.

"Everyone always asks me which sport I like better," says the resident of Currier House. "I tell them, 'Your passion is whatever you're involved with at the time.' I've been lucky, I never had to choose between them, and that was my greatest fear when I was making my decision about college. I didn't want to go a school where I would have to choose between soccer and baseball.

"I talk to friends from home who played two sports in high school, and they were told that they would have to focus on one sport at college because of the time commitment. Even on a couple of my recruiting trips, I was told that I would have to just play baseball, because of the time it takes. But not here at Harvard. It's a unique opportunity here, and that was a big part of my decision--besides the academics, of course--I would be able to play both sports. Harvard has been perfect for me."

With the understanding of his coaches, Steve Locker (soccer), and Leigh Hogan (baseball), and the support of athletic director Bill Cleary, Bo has found it not only possible for a Division I athlete to participate in two sports, but also that it has its benefits. "Juggling two sports keeps you busy, but it keeps you on a schedule. If I didn't have practice after classes, I don't know what I'd do with myself. I feel more comfortable with my time all planned out."

Busy with soccer, he has missed out on fall baseball, and, as captain of the team, it has been difficult not being at practices and working out with his teammates, but Bo is no stranger to sacrifice. "When I was a kid, there were always conflicts between the two sports. I played in the Olympic Development program for soccer in the spring, and I would always have to stop training at a certain point every year," he remembers. "That meant not being able to attend the regional camps because of baseball games. Sometimes it was a little frustrating, but I would never have done it differently."

Bo inherited much of his athleticism from his parents. His father, Peter Bernhard '71, was captain of the Harvard baseball team that went on to the College World Series, and Bo's maternal grandfather played minor league baseball for the Hollywood Stars. It was pure coincidence that Bo and his dad captained their respective baseball teams at Harvard--as Bo never really considered coming to Cambridge until he received a call from Hogan about visiting the school.

"I wasn't really thinking about coming to Harvard that much, but I did know that I wanted to go to school in a place that was green. I'm from the desert and I wanted to be somewhere plush, and I thought that the East Coast would be a good place for that," he says. "When Coach called and offered to fly me out for a visit, it really made me consider it. "I came out here in the spring, and it was a warm day during baseball season--I was hooked. Little did I know how cold it really gets here.

"Before I came to visit, I had the misconception that all the people here were different--really academic and stuck in their books. There certainly are academically talented people here, but what I found when I came here was that the people were really similar to me. Everyone was just like the people I grew up around--athletic, but with a life outside of sports. It was reassuring to know that I would feel comfortable here, especially since it was so far from home."

Bo has certainly found his niche to be on the athletic fields at Harvard. With his fierce, competitive spirit and his classy demeanor, he is an impressive role-model for the younger members of his teams. As captain of the baseball team, he feels it is important to stress the interpersonal relationships between players in order for Harvard to reach its full potential in the upcoming spring.

"We have a lot of talent and this year we have the depth we've been missing. Now all we need is some team chemistry, and we'll be successful.

"I can already see it happening. This fall has been more rigorous than any other one. The guys are putting in six days a week conditioning, in addition to the practices we're allowed. I stop by everyday after soccer to see my teammates and let them know I'm with them in spirit.

"I really feel that baseball is on the verge of something big. With a new year-round facility in University Squash Courts, and lots of support from our alumni, everyone has a real positive outlook for the future of Harvard baseball."

When Bo can't be found on the athletic field, he can be found in William James working on his senior thesis. Combining his double-concentration of Psychology and Sociology with his background as a member of the Las Vegas community, Bo's thesis is on "The Impact of the Gaming Industry on the Lives of Las Vegas Residents."

Bo jokes, "I'll be hanging out in casinos for the sake of academia." Eventually, he hopes to attend graduate school and eventually obtain his doctorate degree. Bo even toys with the idea of coaching.

For now, he's focusing on leading the men's soccer team to its first Ivy title since 1987, knowing that the biggest gamble of his life--going to school 3,000 miles from home, has paid off royally.