Published Thursday

May 1, 2003

Spartan goalie keeping sharp

BY STU POSPISIL

WORLD-HERALD BUREAU

LINCOLN - When Joel Bergt channel-surfs, he actually intends to stop on the cable channels carrying foreign soccer matches.

Goalkeeper Joel Bergt is a four-year starter for the Spartans.

"I study their strategy, looking for something maybe we can incorporate into our team," the Lincoln East all-state goalkeeper said. "Maybe a little twist, a little something somebody else doesn't have."

To Spartans Coach Jeff Hoham, Bergt is "an incredible student of the game."

"Joel has incredible natural talent. It's not something that can be brought out just by coaching," Hoham said. "It's a gift he has to anticipate what the opposition is doing. He studies the players and he memorizes their tendencies. It gives him an edge over most keepers."

Especially, the coach said, when you draw on his intensity.

"When he goes out the field, he lays it out of the field emotionally and physically," Hoham said. "Oftentimes that results in superior performance."

One of Bergt's best performances occurred during Tuesday night's match against rival Lincoln High for the city and conference championships. Lincoln High beat the state champion Spartans twice last season.

Bergt stopped the Links' final two kicks in a shootout that went to sudden death. The state's No. 1-ranked team stayed undefeated with a 1-0 victory.

"A lot of keepers, the way the shootout started, might have felt the pressure and given up," Hoham said. "But Joel got stronger as the shootout went along. To see a player step up to the challenge and respond in such a dominating way speaks volumes about his character."

Bergt has been a four-year starter for the Spartans, who won the Class A state championship last season in a 2-1 win over Omaha Burke.

The improvement Hohan sees in the athletic keeper is in his control of emotions.

"Like all of us, he's still capable of making mental mistakes," Hoham said, "but he overcomes those mostly now through his maturity."

Bergt agrees that he's become mentally sharper.

"I'm seeing the field a lot better and my communication to my backs is better," he said. "We probably have a better defense than we did last year, so I can't take all the credit we're having."

A junior college, possibly Barton County in Kansas, could be Bergt's next stop. But Hoham said some Major League Soccer franchises also have called.

"He's got a great sense of the game," said Lincoln High Coach Jack Brestel. "He's played keeper forever. He's a leader on the field."