Family important to Whitecaps' Bernard

COMSTOCK PARK - Wynton Bernard knew he wasn't a bad Nintendo player, but on this particular night three years ago Bernard and his brother were having no success going head-to-head with the game version of the television show Family Feud.

Finally, at 3 a.m., exasperated and tired, Bernard and his brother Wayne called it quits and started for bed. But before they finally turned in, Bernard had an idea: If they couldn't beat the Nintendo version, why not try their luck getting on the television version of Family Feud? So Bernard, now a West Michigan Whitecaps outfielder, quickly shot off an email to the producers explaining why a Bernard family that included three professional athletes would be an ideal candidate for the show.

While Bernard thought his family was made-for-TV, deep down he knew it was a long-shot that a family which included one brother who had played for the Seattle Seahawks and another who was a veteran professional basketball player in Europe, as well as Wynton, who had just finished up playing ball at Niagara University, would find themselves on national TV playing for cash and prizes.

Only he was wrong.

Eight hours later, the stunned brothers received a reply from producers inviting them to auditions in California. After that went well, Bernard joined his brother Walter, their mother, an uncle, and a cousin for a taping of Family Feud in Atlanta. But after the family jumped to a 276-0 lead and needing 300 points to win, the luck ran out. The opposing family came all the way back from the deficit to win.

"I was a little nervous," Bernard said of being on the show. "There were a couple butterflies. But we enjoyed it."

Bernard said the best part of the experience was being with his family, including his brother Walter, a former safety for the Seahawks from 2002-05. His other brother, Wayne, missed the taping because he was playing basketball in Europe. He has played in Germany, France and Finland, among other countries, after tryouts with the NBA's Raptors and Kings.

While his brothers played different sports, Bernard, a native of San Diego, credits his siblings with contributing to his success as a baseball player. The best advice he's received from them includes the value of hard work and dedication and accepting that failure is part of being a professional athlete. Bernard said he's also learned how repetition and practice are critical to success.

"You're going to mess up, but you've got to get through the storm. It's the growing during the hard parts that helps you," he said. "Those were some of the things they told me when I was in high school. They told me I should start to get serious about playing."

Bernard has tried to carry that perseverance into professional baseball, where he's endured a rollercoaster career in just three seasons. Released by the San Diego Padres after reaching high-A Lake Elsinore a year ago, Bernard was signed by the Tigers on March 3 and sent to West Michigan. He's settled into a role as the team's leadoff hitter, where he's batting around .300 while leading the team in doubles and stolen bases.

Bernard's father passed away three years ago after missing his son's professional career, and his mother lives in San Diego. Walter and Wayne have carefully tracked their younger sibling's baseball progress and Bernard is proud they understand their effect on how he plays the game.

"At the end of the day I'm always working my hardest. Then I know I have something to smile about," he said. "I talk to them every day. They tell what's important is that I find what's most important in life to me."

That philosophy transcends baseball. While Bernard loves baseball, he said his family taught him about the value of diversity. He was a business and marketing major in college and enjoys playing the piano and saxophone in his spare time.

As for recognizing the value of hard work, Bernard said there is a definite correlation between his decision to send a 3 a.m. email to producers of a popular television show and whatever success he finds as a professional baseball player, both are about desire.

"If I want something, I do what I can do about it," he said. "Like baseball. What are the odds of being drafted and becoming a professional baseball player? Some things fall through and others don't. I told my mom I could be on that show and she believed it. My parents never pushed me into a sport, but they made sure I had opportunities."

"They said that anything you want to do, you can do. That's what I believe."