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04/16/2024 11:21 AMFor Ryan Bernardo, his youthful upbringing was an athletic one with quite a bit of winning surrounding it. Even with that early success, he still stayed humble and hard-working–leading to him being part of a dynasty on the gridiron while being part of a program’s revitalization on the basketball court.
The North Haven senior grew up playing multiple sports as a youngster that included baseball, soccer, basketball, and football. After he came to the realization that the latter two were the fits for him, he continued on with them once arriving on the Nighthawks’ campus.
After being part of a North Haven football squad that claimed its second-straight Class MM state crown this past fall, he transitioned right over to the hardwood. The sharp-shooting small forward helped the Nighthawks return to the postseason for a second consecutive campaign after reaching the quarterfinals of both the SCC and Division III State Tournaments following a 12-8 regular season mark.
“I found I was the best at football and basketball, plus I played with all my friends on youth teams and won a lot of games with them in both sports growing up,” says Ryan. “I just kept working hard in my offseason. Workouts are where personal developments are made. I would get in workouts before and after school. For me, it was about just working hard and staying consistent.”
On the floor, Ryan was depended upon to be an accurate hand in the corner while heroically taking on the bigs across the SCC on a nightly basis. As he is focused on being a sturdier handle with the rock, he never shows trepidation to take it into the paint.
“I liked playing on the wing as a forward. My role on the team was to shoot and I liked getting open shots. I also guarded some of the bigger guys, and it was a challenge, but I was successful defensively I felt,” Ryan says. “My best attribute is shooting, and I take pride in my defense. I do need to work on my ball handling, but over my four years, my ability to drive to the hole has gotten better, and so has my passing.”
After seeing so many team triumphs for years upon years entering high school, it came with a bit of a culture shock as an underclassman when wins on the court were hard to come by for the Nighthawks. Yet through that and North Haven’s prominence with the pigskin, he learned to keep everything on an even keel no matter a squad’s stature.
“In my first two years with the basketball team, I think we won only three games. It was tough because I was so used to winning on my youth teams,” says Ryan. “We just kept pushing each other as a team, and we really succeeded the last two years. Being at the top with football, I just used mental energy to stay focused.”
Being part of two very physically-demanding sports, Ryan quickly discovered the value of staying in peak physical condition year-round. Yet going beyond the individual betterment, he has really seen the power of coming together as a group to achieve a common goal.
“Getting in shape and working out for football is huge, and it also helps me stay in shape for basketball. I also learned that team unity is huge, too,” says Ryan. “Sports help to bring people together, and having that team chemistry in a group really helps you succeed.”
The rest of the hoops team followed Ryan’s lead this past offseason by going the extra mile to put in the additional but critical prep work for the campaign. They were also driven by a desire to go out on top following several stints together that harken back to younger days.
“Most of the guys played basketball away from the team in the offseason. We also worked with a lifting coach as well,” Ryan says. “We all wanted to win because it was our last year together. It was great, and we reached our goals of winning games in both the SCC and state tournaments.”
On the football facet of his senior season, the Nighthawks dealt with some early adversity. Though it only strengthened the character and drive of the young men to push them over the top to do a task that is no small feat in defending a throne.
“Winning a state title is incredible. Most people do not get the chance to do that, and so to win it two times is really incredible,” Ryan says. “We had the forfeit, but we stayed focused and came together to make a good run at the end.”
North Haven boys’ hoops Head Coach Danny Oglesby explains that not only is Ryan the ultimate utility man who can stretch the floor, but he is a great studious competitor on the court and garners great admiration from peers.
“Ryan has been the model of consistency for our team,” says Oglesby. “He is the ultimate teammate who is extremely versatile and a great three-point shooter. He can play multiple positions on both ends of the court and has an extremely high basketball IQ. He is a pleasure to coach, and he is respected by his teammates!”
Athletics have wrought some life-long bonds for Ryan in such a short but lengthy four-year spurt. Beyond camaraderie, he also morphed into a person who will never back down from a test, no matter its difficulty.
“I had an incredible time here at North Haven on these teams. I met most of my friends through sports. It is something I will never forget,” says Ryan. “I have learned that persistence pays off. You must also keep getting better, keep trying, and never give up.”