Speaker Patrice Bernier is without doubt one of the greatest Canadian soccer players in history. Determined, he thrives on challenges. As he says: “You have to perform and make sacrifices to reach your goals. His words will touch you and inspire you to action. In 2024, Patrice Bernier was inducted into the Quebec Sports Hall of Fame.
Patrice Bernier
speakerApple soccer analyst and former Montreal Impact captain
Patrice Bernier’s lecture:
- Duration: approximately 60 minutes, adaptable.
- Conference available in French and English.
- A preparatory call is planned in order to select and adapt the content of the conference.
Master of his destiny!
Since the age of six, Patrice Bernier, speaker, has dreamed of playing soccer. But since hockey is king in Quebec, he also played and excelled in both sports. As in everything he did, he gave it his all and made it all the way to the Quebec Junior Major League, playing two seasons with the Val d’Or Foreurs.
When the Foreurs decided to trade him, something clicked in his head and he decided to pursue a career in soccer.
It was THE right decision of his professional life. So much so that it led him to play for several European teams. Finally, after making his debut with the Montreal Impact, he returned and even finished his career there. What’s more, his phlegm, determination and “calm leadership” enabled him to become captain. What an achievement for this young man from the South Shore.
In his conference “Maitre de son destiny”, Patrice Bernier, speaker, addresses with sincerity, his career path and relates his ups and downs. Work, relentlessness, setbacks, victory and pride are the essential themes that emerge from his 50-minute conference.
After his lecture, Patrice will answer questions generously.
Biography of Patrice Bernier :
Patrice Bernier inherited his passion for soccer from his father, Jean Bernier, a builder of soccer in Quebec. His parents, Gladys and Jean, left Haiti for Quebec in 1971 and Patrice was born in Brossard, a suburb of Montreal, in 1979. As a sportsman, he played ice hockey and soccer with various youth clubs such as AS Brossard and FsC Sélect Rive-Sud in the Quebec Elite Soccer League.
HOCKEY
During his studies, he also played ice hockey like his cousins who became professionals: Maxime Fortunus and Georges Laraque.
He played two seasons in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League as a defenceman. In his first season in 1996-97, he finished seventh in scoring for the Val-d’Or Foreurs. The Val-d’Or players participated in the QMJHL playoffs and went through two rounds before being eliminated in the divisional finals by the eventual playoff winners, the Hull Olympiques. He starts the following season with Val-d’Or but after about 40 games, joins the Sherbrooke Faucons who do not qualify for the playoffs. He decided to stop his hockey career after discussions with an agent who told him that his profile was not wanted by National Hockey League teams.
SOCCER
He then moved to the United States to study at Syracuse University in 1999. During his year there, he played soccer with the Syracuse University Orange in the NCAA. He was selected to the All-Rookie team.
The following year, he joined his hometown club, the Montreal Impact in the United Soccer Leagues. He played three seasons at this level before trying his luck in Europe. He had a first try in Sweden with Vasteras SK and then a second try in Norway with Moss FK who offered him a contract. He then played with Norwegian club Tromsø IL before being transferred to German second division side FC Kaiserslautern in the summer of 2007. He left FC Kaiserslautern in 2008 to join FC Nordsjælland, a Danish top division club.
On 19 December 2011, he joined the club of his debut: the Montreal Impact for the team’s first season in MLS.
On 13 February 2014, he was named captain of his team. Under his captaincy, the Impact reached the CONCACAF Champions League final in 2015 and the Eastern Association final lost to Toronto FC in 2016. At 38, he played the last game of his career on October 22, 2017 against the New England Revolution in which he scored a goal.
POST-CAREER
A few weeks after his sporting retirement, Patrice Bernier has been announced as assistant coach of the Montreal Impact academy for the U13, U15, U17 and U19 teams, starting in 2018.
In August 2019, he was promoted to Assistant Director of the Montreal Impact, thus beginning a new chapter in his career.
Patrice Bernier was also an analyst for TVA Sports in 2018-2019 and then from 2021 until November 2022, when he joined the RDS team as a soccer analyst during FIFA 2022. In 2023, he joined Apple.
THE HONORS
In 2017, he received the Médaille de l’Assemblée nationale for his participation in the vivre-ensemble campaign and his contribution to Quebec society, and was inducted into the Quebec Soccer Hall of Fame. He joins his father, Jean Bernier (soccer), who had been there for 13 years in the Builders category. In 2022, he is inducted into the Canadian Soccer Hall of Fame; in 2023, he is inducted into the CF MONTRÉAL Wall of Fame at Saputo Stadium; and in 2024, he is one of 8 inductees into the Quebec Sports Hall of Fame.
Awards and distinctions of Patrice Bernier :
| 2024 | Intronisé au Temple de la renommée du Panthéon des sports du Québec | |
| 2017 | Winner | FSQ Male Professional Player of Excellence |
| 2017 | Membre honoré (Athlète) / Honoured Member (Athlete) | Quebec Soccer Hall of Fame |
| 2016 | Winner | FSQ Male Professional Player of Excellence |
| 2014 | Winner | FSQ Male Professional Player of Excellence |
| 2013 | Winner | FSQ Male Professional Player of Excellence |
| 2012 | Winner | FSQ Male Professional Player of Excellence |
| 2012 | Top 100 Men’s Footballers | Canada Soccer Centennial Timeline |
| 2011 | Winner | FSQ Male Professional Player of Excellence |
| 2007 | Winner | FSQ Male Professional Player of Excellence |
| 2005 | Winner | FSQ Male Professional Player of Excellence |
| 2000 | Winner | FSQ Male Senior Player of Excellence |
| 1998 | Winner | FSQ Male Youth Player of Excellence |
| 1995 | Winner | FSQ Male Senior Player of Excellence |
Envoyer cette fiche par courriel
THEMES :
- Coaching and leadership
- Team mobilisation
- Motivation, success and personal development
- Sports
TECHNICAL REQUEREMENTS :
- Micro-casque sans fil
- Petite table pour déposer noter et bouteille d’eau
Pas de contenu podcast
HIS/HER BOOK :
Patrice Bernier
in conference
Watch the excerpt of Patrice’s conference presented at our VITRINE OF speakerson June 6, 2019 at the Château fontaine vineyard in St-Hyacinthe:
Interviews with
Patrice Bernier
HOW IT IS – Discussion with Patrice Bernier at the time of COVID-19
PepTalk sur la route avec… Patrice Bernier : Se relever dans l’adversité!
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