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 Berling, who became involved in soccer because,
"I've always thought it was a great game for kids" founded and
served as president in the Two County Youth Soccer League, in the San
Francisco East Bay area starting in 1967.
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Personal Information |
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Class of 1995 |
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Born:
November 25, 1930
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San Francisco, CA |
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Under his guidance the league
grew from four to 30 teams in two years. Two years later he participated in the founding of the California
Youth Soccer Association, and in 1971 started a weekly newsletter called
Soccer West. "I was a big fan of soccer, very much involved in the
NorCal Soccer League, and thought there should be some way of keeping
track of all the results" he told the San Francisco Examiner in
1995. "I was stupid enough
to think I could do it even if no one else could. My friends said they gave me six months. That was about the average length of
time for soccer publications in those days." In 1972 Soccer West became Soccer
America and today over 30 years later it is still going strong, providing
a crucial link between the pioneers of the soccer boom of the 1970s and
the current successes of the sport today for players, coaches,
 corporate
sponsors and fans alike. At the same
time as he was guiding Soccer America he created and served as commissioner
of the NorCal Soccer League, a semi-pro summer league and from 1972 to
1977 served five years as vice president and treasurer of the California
Youth Soccer Association North. In 1989 he became a member of the World Cup USA 1994 Founders
Committee and from 1991 to 1994 served on the World Cup San Francisco Bay
Organizing Committee. By 1995
Soccer America's Berkeley office was serving as a workplace for 25
full-time employees and continued to publish weekly and had become an
internationally regarded authority on the sport. In 1982 he was inducted into the California
Youth Soccer Association Hall of Fame, and one year later was named
Honorary All-American by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America. In 1990 he received the Soccer
Industry Council of America's Simon Sherman Industry Service Award.
Today he is Chairman of the Board of
Soccer America, while his daughter Lynn Berling-Manuel serves as
President and Publisher of the magazine.
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