Transcript
Mitchell F. Berg Class of 1977 Mitch Berg was a very talented athlete for the Cadets in the mid-1970s, earning four letters and contributing to many team championships. He was a member of the 1975 State Class A football champs, the last team to win a state title. He was captain of the 1977 track and field team and named All-State. That team went on to an undefeated season with multiple championships and state, regional and meet records. Mitch captained that same team to an STA record that stills hold today for the 4x440 yard relay. He followed up at St. John’s University with four letters in football and two MIAC championships. Signed as a free agent by the Minnesota Vikings in 1981, he played in the first-ever game at the Metrodome. Between 1981 and 2006, Mitch was on the STA football coaching staff in a number of positions, winning four section championships and playing in two state appearances. Mitch and wife Dana have one daughter, and live in Mendota Heights. He has been president of Lakeland Company, Inc, in Cumberland, WI for 11 years. Mitch Berg Statistics Saint Thomas Academy Athletics, total of four letters –
Post-Secondary Athletics, total of four letter –
• STA football: ’75, ’76 • STA track and field: ’76, ’77 (captain)
• St. John’s University, football: ’77, ’78, ’79, ’80 - Three year starter - MIAC championships: 1977, 1979 - NCAA quarterfinalists: 1977
Football: • Member of CCC Champions, 1975 • Member of State Class A Champions, 1975 • All-Metro: ’76 Track and Field: • All-State: ’77 • Anchor man on the 1977 440 yard (mile) relay team that had the following honors: - Undefeated season - Set Region 3AA record - Set Class A state record - Set multiple meet records - Bloomington Trackorama Champions - Set and still hold the STA record in the 4x440 yard relay and the 4x220 yard relay team * * School records are now recorded in meters
Professional Experience – Minnesota Vikings: 1981 and 1982 - Signed as a free agent in 1981 and 1982 - Played in the 1982 NFL Hall of Fame Game at the pro football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio - Last player cut from the 1981 and 1982 Vikings roster - After being released by the Vikings he was claimed as a free agent by the Tampa Bay Bandits but chose not to sign a USFL contract.
Coaching – • Coached in various capacities for Cadets football between 1981 and 2006.
Five Questions with Mitch Berg ’77 1. What was your most significant athletic moment at STA? There are two that really stand out in my mind. First, we won the state Class A Football Championship in 1975. That was an incredible accomplishment for our team, which was comprised of a very special group of guys. The other moment that really stands out is when our Mile Relay team, consisting of Frank Hamel, Larry Holtz, Dan Flynn and me, won the Silver Cup trophy for the fastest mile relay time at the Bloomington Trackorama my Senior year. At the time I believe the Trackorama was one of the biggest prep track meets in the Midwest. We saw that Silver Cup trophy the year before at the Trackorama but I had broken my foot a few weeks before that meet and I could not race that year. So we set our sights on winning that Cup in 1977 and we accomplished that goal. 2. Who was the most influential person during your Academy days and how did he inspire you? My Mom and Dad have always been the most influential people in my life but from a sports standpoint at the Academy three coaches – Earl Wetzel on B-squad football, Gerry Brown on varsity football and my track coach, Bill Culbertson – were the biggest influences on me. After I did not play one down all season on the Freshman football team, the next year Earl Wetzel changed my position on the B-squad from offensive end to defensive back and he gave me my first chance to play. That changed my football life! Gerry Brown inspired me by somehow instilling in me the unending desire to make him think I was good enough. Then, after my senior season, Gerry was instrumental in my selection to the All-Metro football team. I don’t know if I ever believed I was a good enough football player until being named All-Metro, but that experience gave me the confidence I needed as I went on to play college football. Gerry was also the reason I went out for the track team my Junior year because he told me I couldn’t play football in the fall if I didn’t run track! Finally, Bill Culbertson had a huge influence on me when he named me one of the Captains of the Track and Field team my Senior year and then taught me what it meant to be a Captain. Bill also trusted me with the anchor position on our relay teams and that filled me with confidence and a strong desire to succeed for Bill and my teammates. Thank you to Mom, Dad, Earl, Gerry and Bill. 3. How did the Academy prepare you for your athletic success? The Academy taught me to work my tail off to achieve success and then to expect that success when I was competing. During my years at the Academy I was surrounded by high achievers and a deep rooted culture of high achievement – both on the playing field and in the classroom. Those high achieving guys and that culture of success set the performance bar very high and inspired me to push myself harder and further to get over that bar. Those lessons about hard work, perseverance, and expecting success still guide me today. 4. What does the word “team” mean to you? I believe a team is a collection of individuals who are willing to do all it takes to make each other and the collective unit better. To me, the accomplishment of truly coming together as a team is one of the greatest experiences in sports. Our 1975 State Championship Football team and our 1977 relay teams are great examples of what it really means to be a team. And raising those championship trophies with my teammates – my buddies – is one of the most satisfying and memorable experiences in my life. 5. What does it mean to you to be an Academy alumnus? It’s an honor to be an Academy Alumnus. It means that I will always get to be associated with the history of achievement that surrounds STA. I am proud to be a part of that history. It also binds me together with a great group of guys who remain my close friends today.
