Throughout a 20-year career in the United States military, Chris Bernal always kept his hands actively involved in athletics in any way he could.
In addition to teaching military tactics and techniques to multinational partners, contractors and foreign nationals, Bernal also coached baseball, volleyball and soccer around the globe, and officiated other sports, including basketball.
Bernal now takes on the challenge of building a winning baseball program at Atlantic Collegiate Academy, his first opportunity to lead a varsity program since retiring from the military. His athletic journey may not have been traditional in nature, but he is certainly no rookie when it comes to mentoring young student-athletes.
“I bring a wealth of experience and a proven track record of success to the program at Atlantic,” Bernal said. “I began my career as a player, excelling as a stand-out pitcher and shortstop during my private and public-school years. After graduation, I entered the military and, while finishing out my 20 years of service, I turned my attention to umpiring at many different levels. I also worked my way up from an assistant coach to a head coach position and, along the way, garnered accolades for innovative strategies, inspiring leadership and having a keen eye for talent.”
Born in Seattle, Wash., both of Bernal’s parents were professional soccer players. His mother, Patricia, still holds a pair of Maryland state records in track and his father, Luis, was also a semi-pro baseball player who, like Chris, served in the military. He also had a grandfather and an uncle who played baseball professionally.
Bernal attended the Early College Academy in Elkton, Maryland, before completing his prep career at Rising Sun High where he played soccer, baseball, football and basketball and was active in the FBLA. He was a standout on the diamond, earning an invitation to a professional tryout with the Philadelphia Phillies at just 16 years old.
Instead of athletics, service to country was his calling after high school. He served in the U.S. Navy for four years and in the U.S. Army for 16 years. While serving, he earned a Bachelor’s degree Criminal Justice with an emphasis in Homeland Security and Emergency Management from Colorado Technical University. He followed up by earning and MBA from the same school, graduating with honors while earning the Distinguished Leadership Award as well as the Patriot Scholarship Leaders Award.
In addition to earning his degrees, coaching and officiating multiple sports during his military career, Bernal also was one of the first 14 people to go through the space program in 2008, earning his Master Space Badge. His military service included time on the USS Harry S. Truman Aircraft Carrier as well as time in Germany and Qatar.
Bernal also got his first taste of coaching while still in the military. He was the head baseball coach at Elkton Christian School from 2004-06, leading that program to a pair of state championships as well as a National Association of Christian Athletes (NACA) National Championship.
He continued his involvement in athletics while deployed to Mannheim, Germany, working as an assistant athletic trainer for a top-level youth soccer program. He continued while serving in Doha, Qatar, coaching baseball and soccer at the American School of Doha.
Toward the end of his time in the military he became active as an official with the North Carolina High School Athletics Association, officiating soccer, volleyball, football, baseball and basketball games. After leaving the military, he and his family settled in South Carolina where he continued officiating games for the South Carolina High School League. He also became an NCAA umpire, working games within the Sun Belt Conference, a role he has continued in through this past spring season.
“Chris is an impact hire in a number of ways for ACA,” Armada Director of Athletics William Payne said. “He is a proven winner, having won multiple state championships as a head baseball coach. He served for 20 years in the US Military and understands the game of baseball in a unique manner, having served as an umpire in the Sun Belt Conference for the last several years. He has a strong background as a coach in several sports. Coach Bernal will be a great role model for our students and his personal story of perseverance and overcoming adversity will be a foundational building block for ACA athletics.”
Most recently, on the coaching front, Bernal served as the head coach of the girl’s’ soccer program at Lowcountry Prep during the 2021-22 academic year and as head junior varsity baseball coach at Carvers Bay High School this past season.
“Building a new program from the ground up will be no small task,” Bernal said of his new role at ACA. “It requires vision, hard work, and a whole lot of dedication. But it's also an incredible opportunity to create something special, something that we can all be proud of.
“We're going to be building this program with the highest standards of excellence and sportsmanship in mind. We'll be working hard every day to instill the values of teamwork, discipline, and perseverance in our young athletes, both on and off the field. But we won't be doing this alone. We'll be relying on the support of our community, the hard work of our athletes, and the expertise of our coaches. We cannot accomplish our goals without each other.”
Bernal and his wife, Jamie, have three children – Caiden (20), Liam (9) and Laci (8).
“With the support of my loving wife and three wonderful children, I look forward on building on my baseball career and striving to make every opportunity count with my new role at Atlantic Collegiate Academy,” Bernal said. “I am excited to build a team that embodies the school's spirit of excellence and sportsmanship. I believe that through collaboration, hard work, and a commitment to excellence, my players will achieve great things - both on and off the field. I am thrilled to be welcomed in the community and look forward to seeing the positive impact I will have on our baseball program.
“I am deeply committed to creating a program that not only produces outstanding athletes, but outstanding human beings who are prepared to make meaningful contributions to society. That is my pledge to you. So, let's get ready to build an incredible program here at Atlantic Collegiate Academy.”
