If Bryce Werner needs a role model, he has no shortage to choose from.
Especially when it comes to athletics.
The Pennington School senior’s mom played basketball at St. Hubert before going on to play basketball at Iona.
His older brother Brett played soccer at La Salle, where he was the Most Valuable Player of the Catholic League as a goalie. He then played at La Salle University.
His middle brother Brendan had offers to play soccer at a few Division I schools, but the Philadelphia Academy Charter graduate went on to rewrite the soccer record books at Penn State Abington.
And the funny part about it is, Bryce believes it’s possible that none of them are the best athlete in the family. Don’t worry, he’s not saying he is, either.
“My dad might be the best athlete, he played everything,” said Werner, who lives in Parkwood. “He played everything. He was a great athlete, who played baseball, softball and hockey until he was like 40.
“Everyone else, all had Division I offers. They all were very good. That put a lot of pressure on me, but it also helped me a lot. I had so much help getting better. They are all there to help me any way they can.”
Good news, baby bro doesn’t need much help. He’s proving he’s just fine on his own.
Unlike the rest of his family, the youngest Werner is a star football player. He started his high school career at La Salle, transferred to Ryan where he starred for a year, then moved on to Pennington School. This year he’ll play his senior year for the small school in Mercer County, New Jersey, and if his summer is any indication, he should once again be one of the top wide receivers in the area.
This summer, Werner competed in a national 7-on-7 competition. The games were played in Miami and featured the top 12 teams in the nation.
The team, which was loaded with talent, took second. And Werner certainly made some memorable plays, grabbing a touchdown in the semifinals. The championship game aired on the NFL Network.
The team is coached by former Eagle Torrey Smith, and also has two of Werner’s former teammates on it. La Salle’s Joey O’Brien who is bound for Notre Dame, and Gavin Sidwar, who is one of the top quarterback recruits in the country.
For Werner, it wasn’t the final result he wanted, but he knew the reason he was there was to get better, and that certainly happened.
“I play for Torrey Smith, and I went to school with Gavin and Joey, and I saw them play and I wanted to go there and play with them,” Werner said. “It’s great competition. I wanted to go there and show I can play with those types of players. I tried out in Maryland and I made the team.
“It’s going great. I loved playing with them because I’m playing for a former Eagle. He knows how to play wide receiver, so who better to learn from? And then I could rekindle my friendships with those guys, we’ve always been friends.”
Werner is now making plays with his friends at Pennington.
The small school has quite the football team and since arriving there, Werner has become a top playmaker.
“We’re just getting started at Pennington,” Werner said. “I fit in well, for sure. It was different than my other schools, but in a great way. You have to be different to be the best, so going there, it’s a boarding school, and there are a bunch of athletes who are dedicated. They all want the same thing, all push each other to be better. I kind of clicked right away.”
At Pennington, Werner plays for former McDevitt football coach Mike Watkins. His defensive coordinator is Tom Bock, a Cardinal Dougherty grad who also coached at McDevitt. The PCL combo has played a big role in Werner’s development.
“I have to give credit to Coach Mike Watkins, and Coach Bock,” Werner said. “They put together a team, we have some great talent, top to bottom. We are a small school, so we don’t have a lot of depth. 400 kids and half are girls, but the ones we have are pretty solid. Offers all over the country, 6-foot-4 and 300 pounds across the line. We have a really good team.”
Werner hopes he can help Pennignton win a lot of games while also getting noticed by a Division I school. He’s closer to picking a major than a school, but it’s safe to say he’ll have options.
“Next year, I might do some kind of business, that’s something I really enjoy because it’s all about betting on yourself,” Werner said. “What you put into it is what you get out. How much work you put in is what you get out. Like being an athlete. The other thing would be science. I have a knack for science, biomed or something. It really intrigues me and those are things I’m interested in.”
Werner still has the rest of summer to prepare for football season. He plans on getting his body ready for the grind. He’ll work at it, and he knows he’ll have plenty of help.
He doesn’t have to look far.
It starts at home.
“I’m so proud of all of them and they’ve all helped me so much,” he said. “I challenge to be better than them, but they set the bar so high. If I didn’t have role models like that, I wouldn’t be as dedicated as they were.
“My brothers, they weren’t the youngest brother. They didn’t have someone to look up to. I admire them. I don’t tell them, but I’m proud of all they’ve done. They did some great things. I want to do the same.”
