Mark Berson’s Impact Spans Generations at Stone Stadium and Beyond
By: Forrest J. Tucker
Tags: American Soccer, South Carolina News, Soccer News, South Carolina Gamecocks, Soccer

Doug Allison touched down in South Carolina for his freshman year of college in the late summer of 1984. Days earlier, the young British soccer player had no idea that he would be playing across the pond.

University of South Carolina men’s soccer coach Mark Berson changed that.

While Allison was vacationing in Europe his parents were telephoned by Berson, who wanted to offer their son a chance to play college soccer.

A player the Gamecocks were after had fallen through and Berson turned to Allison, who had sent him a letter from Bath, England months before inquiring about an opportunity to play for Carolina.

At the time of Berson’s call, Allison had forgotten entirely about the message he sent, but was all in to play for the Gamecocks.

“I had no idea what I was getting into to tell you the truth,” Allison said. “I had no idea where (South Carolina) was. Someone back home told me it was near Disney World so that was pretty good for me.”

Allison rushed home to get a visa from the U.S. embassy in London. Within days, he began his career as a Gamecock and a relationship with Berson that has lasted decades.

Allison in action. Courtesy of Gamecock Athletics.

“My dad always told me that he was such a great father figure to me over here,” Allison said. “There wasn’t any better.”

Berson’s winning culture was just getting started during Allison’s time as a Gamecock. South Carolina made the NCAA Tournament every year from 1985 to 1990.

“We scrapped for every ball. It wasn’t pretty at times, but not many people wanted to play Carolina in those days,” said Allison.

While positive results followed discipline on the pitch, Berson established traditions off the pitch. He created the rule that the seniors were in charge if they got playing time or not.

“I remember going on road trips and it was three to a room,” Allison said. “The two seniors are in beds and if you’re a freshman, whether you scored goals or not, you slept in the crease which was in between the bed and the wall.”

After Allison’s days as a player, he worked at South Carolina as an assistant coach. He realized how much time his head coach worked. After early morning workouts Berson wasted no time at breakfast.

“He’d eat for two minutes and he’s down to the office already,” said Allison.

By the afternoon Allison was trying to stay awake, while Berson was getting his second wind. “His dedication to his craft was amazing,” said Allison, who also mentioned that Berson had a true love for Carolina.

Berson (left) and Allison (right) dressed up off the pitch. Courtesy of Gamecock Athletics.

Allison departed in 1995 to become the head men’s soccer coach at Furman University.

Before he left, he and Berson recruited two players from Georgia. Their names were Clint Mathis and Josh Wolff. The pair spent time together at Carolina from 1995 to 1997, played for the United States men’s national team and in Major League Soccer.

Wolff, the head coach of Austin FC, remembers the dual leadership that Berson used with his senior players.

“He obviously carried the weight and the tone most of the time, but he allowed the players to self-police as well,” said Wolff, who was previously on the national team coaching staff. “You’ve got 30 players, but they’re almost like 30 of your kids so I think he understood that really well.”

Wolff at the Graveyard. Courtesy of Gamecock Athletics.

Wolff noted that “dry wittiness,” and “real honesty,” have become his old coach’s trademarks over the years.

“I guess that’s a Bill Belichick type of thing where every time everybody sees them, they’re all serious,” Mathis said, comparing Berson to the New England Patriots coach. “But behind closed doors they let loose, smiles and jokes and things of that sort.”

Journalists know about Berson’s banter too. During a preseason press conference in 2020, Gamecock Athletics Director of Content Brad Muller asked Carolina’s coach if anything surrounding his team was different because of the coronavirus pandemic.

“Brad, you just answered your own question,” quipped Berson.

South Carolina’s team culture and tradition has always been strong. Mathis remembers being a part of a tight knit squad during his time at Carolina, similar to the teams on which Allison was a player.

“You’ve got to be able to trust the guy over your left shoulder, your right shoulder and Coach Berson really homed in on that,” said Mathis.

Mathis against Furman. Courtesy of Gamecock Athletics.

As Mathis rose in class and playing ability, he eyed the professional ranks. The inception of Major League Soccer in 1996 intrigued him. Upon consulting with Berson about turning professional, he was told to wait.

“I’m very glad that I listened to his advice and stayed in college two more years because it helped me develop as a player as well,” Mathis said. “I did start school at a young age as far as being 17 and still developing.”

Jimmy Maurer, a goalkeeper for the Gamecocks from 2007 to 2010, didn’t enter college as young as Mathis. However, a hostile match against Carolina’s arch rivals could’ve dampened his composure just as his career was starting.

On Maurer’s collegiate debut lightning filled the sky and boos from the Clemson faithful filled his ears before kickoff. Maurer, a professional for almost 10 years, says that the verbal jabs from Tigers fans were the worst things he had heard in his life.

The pressure could have shaken the freshman shot stopper, but Berson offered assurance.

“Coach Berson had nothing but confidence in me, told me just to relax and play my game,” said Maurer, who plays for FC Dallas.

The Gamecocks went on to beat Clemson 1–0 in double overtime.

Maurer tracking back towards goal. Courtesy of Gamecock Athletics.

However, Maurer’s most significant memory of Berson happened away from the pitch.

At every restaurant the team dined at, their salads would be at the table when they arrived.

Berson’s arrangements were behind that.

“It was just the funniest thing that it would always be there. No matter if we’re in Kentucky, we’re in Florida, we’re in West Virginia,” Maurer said. “It’s just an example of how he always took care of his players.”

Berson has recruited his fair share of international talent over the years. One of the most recent alumni of the team, Austrian Luca Mayr, met his future coach on a video call.

“After the Skype talk was over me and my mom just looked at each other and it was like that’s where I’m going,” said Mayr.

After Mayr committed he and his parents came to Columbia. The Mayrs had plenty of questions. Luca recalls Berson and his staff answering them all, sometimes twice or three times.

“Obviously we didn’t know anything about college, so it was really comfortable,” Mayr said. “Going to move to the U.S. was a big step as well and having all of them there just made it much easier.”

Mayr (#7) duels against UNC. Courtesy of Gamecock Athletics.

Mayr graduated in 2019 and was with his coach for a historic milestone.

Berson’s 500th win came against the University of Alabama-Birmingham in 2017. The former Carolina forward remembers pouring water over Berson with his teammates.

In his last campaign with the Gamecocks, Mayr was injured coming into the fall. Despite being sidelined, Berson encouraged him to attend every training and asked Mayr to help mentor players.

“I think he kind of relied on me as well. You know, being experienced, having a little bit of authority to maybe not take the burden off of him, but just support him in general,” said Mayr, who plays for South Georgia Tormenta FC.

From Berson’s first players to his most recent ones, they all seem to agree on one word to describe their coach.

Mark Berson is a father.

He embodies discipline and kindness.

He carries a love for South Carolina soccer wherever he goes.

No matter the age of a Carolina soccer player, Mark Berson will always be a part of their lives. The players and coaches in his tree are spread near and far. Living in Columbia under Berson’s roof at one point is what draws them together.

“I don’t ever think I’ve played against a team or with a team where they didn’t know who Mark Berson was,” said Luca Mayr.

Berson (center) and his boys raise a health. Courtesy of Gamecock Athletics.