Mitch Berg. (Photo courtesy/Saskatoon Minor Hockey)

By Ben Tompkins

Mitch Berg

Former Mustang giving back to the game through mental health education

Nov 22, 2023 | 5:17 PM

A former local Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League player is now helping make a difference for the next generation.

Mitch Berg played parts of three seasons with the Melfort Mustangs, back from 2009 to 2012. He also spent time with the La Ronge Ice Wolves and Battlefords North Stars, along with the Saskatoon Blades and Seattle Thunderbirds in the WHL.

Since then, Berg has been a youth worker and counsellor in Saskatoon, as well as an addictions and mental health counsellor with the Saskatchewan Health Authority.

Most recently, the Saskatoon native was a speaker for the Know the Score Wellness program, which is a part of the Saskatoon Minor Hockey Association.

“I talk to kids about different topics that we think are important to mental health and mental performance that I kind of cover,” Berg told northeastNOW. “We also have someone who talks about racism in hockey, we have someone who talks about gambling and sort of the downfall from that, and there are a few other topics as well.”

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Other program components included diversity, cannabis, drugs, alcohol, tobacco and vaping, building healthy relationships and sexual consent, and anti-bullying.

“It’s just a program to support young athletes in their development throughout the years, we started with U13 teams, U15 teams, and then U18 teams kind of back to back to back, and we kind of prepared our presentations, showed them kind of what we’re about and that we’re there for support in those areas,” added Berg.

The former Mustang has been working with athletes for a couple of years now and helped create the program, after being reached out to about the idea.

He has been working in the field of mental health and addictions since the age of 23 and feels great to be given the opportunity to speak to those who are in the shoes that he was in not too long ago.

“‘I’m very fortunate to be able to do what I’m doing now, I remember when we had former guys come in and do presentations about other stuff and I thought that was pretty cool, so now being able to kind of give back, again just in a different way, but being part of the game again has been actually really good for myself too,” Berg explained.

He said if there is any SJHL team or member of the league that wants to get ahold of him to just email optima.athletic@gmail.com.

Whether someone is looking to learn some things or needs some support in areas, Berg would be more than happy to chat about what’s going on.

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Ben.Tompkins@pattisonmedia.com

On X: @BenTompkins_8