Horst Bertl Obituary (1947 - 2022) - Farmers Branch, Texas

Horst Bertl, 74, passed away peacefully in Dallas, Texas on February 6, 2022. He is survived by his wife, Linda Argo Bertl; son Alan Bertl (Yesenia and two daughters); son Erik Bertl; son Roland Bertl and the young son of Cliff Bertl; and brother Manfred Bertl (Karin and 1 daughter). Horst is preceded in death by his Father, Mother and son, Cliff Bertl. Horst was born in Bremerhaven, Germany where he started playing soccer at 10 years of age. This was the beginning of a life-long love of soccer and led to a very successful career playing and coaching the game. Horst also earned a Mechanical Engineering degree while playing soccer in Germany. Horst loved his family – family gatherings with all 8 kids and 10 grandkids were memorable and loud. There was a lot of food, laughter and a bottomless pitcher of Bahama Mama’s made by Horst himself. Of course, Brats and Beer were always on the menu. Horst played soccer for Bremerhaven 69 (his home-town club), Hannover 96, Borussia Dortmund, and Hamburg SV. He played his first Bundesliga game with Hannover 96 at age 23, he moved to Borussia Dortmund in ’72 and made his final German club move to Hamburg SV in ’73. He finished his Bundesliga career there in ’79. While playing in Germany, he won DFB Cup (German Cup), European Cup-Winners Cup, and the German Championship in ‘79. He had a very successful career before retiring from German soccer in ’79. He still gets fan mail from German soccer fans seeking autographed pictures. He and his family moved to the US in ’79 where he played in Houston and in Memphis TN in the MISL as Coach/Player. In ’84 he moved to Dallas, where he held many positions over the next 38 years. His favorite was Head Coach of the very successful, nationally known Comets Soccer Club for 22 hears until it merged with the Youth Division of the professional soccer club, FC Dallas, in 2012. His Comets teams won many titles - city, state and regional. Several of his former players are soccer coaches at prestigious colleges - passing on the skills and love of the game instilled in them by Horst. Some of Horst's other career highlights include Staff Coach for the US Soccer Federation (USSF), youth coach and Director of the Central Division of FC Dallas, owner of a sports marketing and player management company brokering US players in Europe, and coaching the Dallas Rockets, USISL professional team. In ’94 he was the Competition Manager for the Dallas venue of the ’94 World Cup. Horst’s love of soccer and its influence on the world is evident. He took youth teams world-wide to play against and learn the customs of teams in Germany, Argentina, Costa Rica, Denmark, Norway, Russia, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Austria, and Switzerland, plus many cities and colleges within the United States. He was an influencer and mentor to hundreds of youth soccer players, encouraging teamwork, problem solving, discipline, leadership, respect, self-motivation, time management and the love of a well-played game. HE ACCOMPLISHED HIS GOAL. A memorial service will be held at a later date.