His eyes light up when he talks about his short time in Miami, even though “there wasn’t a muscle that didn’t ache”: Schöngrabern’s Felix Berger was the only Austrian at “The Podyum Preps All-American Bowl”. A camp where former NFL and college coaches evaluate football players from the United States and Europe.
“I just tried it blind,” the 19-year-old recalls three years ago. American life has always fascinated him, so he studied the United States and stumbled upon the national sport. What strikes you so much about the game of football?
“That with a sport that looks so aggressive, there’s so much head behind it. It’s a very strategic game, much worse than chess.” So it took some time for him to get the hang of it. “The first time I was just a bench warmer and didn’t have time to play,” the catcher was only replaced occasionally. He wanted to change that and started training harder, sometimes more than six hours a day, according to the motto: “Hard work pays off”.
Not only Berger himself, but also his Vienna Vikings coaches have noticed an increase. One advised the 19-year-old to sign up for a soccer camp where American coaches will be in Vienna looking for talent.
“The American coaches then invited me to come to the All-American Bowl,” the young footballer smiles. It was clear to him: whatever happens, he will fly to Miami in December. A few weeks before his departure, he injured his hand – this could become a problem in the game, because: “My most important job as a catcher is to catch the ball.” Felix Berger was still in very little pain before the start , but it was impossible to stop him: “The pain is just in my head, I just have to hide it.”
“Playing with the Americans was amazing – wow!”
In Miami, he found himself among the 70% of Americans who have played soccer all their lives. “It was the coolest thing for me to finally be able to play with the Americans. That was…wow!”
What was the biggest difference between American and European football players? “Their hardness, that is, their hardness. They have a completely different attitude, they go into the game with 110% and tear down everything that gets in their way.” They have understanding of the game in their blood.
But the man from Schöngrabern was not deterred by this. He knew that Americans are better than him in some areas. “I thought to myself: You are tough, but I’m tougher.” So he went into every contact with 100 percent and blocked the pain. His home shirt was ripped off on day one. This brought him recognition from his fellow players from the United States. A coach’s biggest praise: “You’re a warrior, man!”
Berger’s idol was a mental aid
Here the thought of his idol, Deebo Samuel, wide receiver at the San Francisco 49ers helped him. “He’s not the type for my role”, the physique is different from that of the classic receivers. But Samuel’s way of playing makes up for it.
After three days of training, it was time for the game in Miami. “I was the most pass-catching receiver. That means the quarterbacks had faith in me.”
College coaches are now viewing the footage and contacting players. His wish: “I’ll go to an American college, play football and then go to the NFL,” says Felix Berger, who previously graduated from the military, of his big dream, the National Football League.
