Turning Over a New Maple Leaf
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Turning over a new Maple Leaf Beamsville native Bill Berg stays close to the game Posted By BILL POTRECZ STANDARD STAFF Bill Berg is the first to admit he still misses the rush that comes from playing in the National Hockey League. The 40-year-old Beamsville native carved out a solid 13-year career as a pro, including 10 in the NHL with the New York Islanders, Toronto Maple Leafs, New York Rangers and Ottawa Senators. He retired following the 1998- 99 season and a couple of years later found himself behind the bench, this time coaching his son Sam. Six years later Berg is still coaching Sam, now a AAA peewee with the St. Catharines Junior Falcons, and last week took on a new job as director of hockey at Ridley College. "I've been coaching for about six years and I really got a lot of enjoyment out of it," Berg said. "I did the broadcasting thing for a couple of years and that was OK and I did some pro scouting last year and that was enjoyable, but it was away from the action. "The other stuff was enjoyable, but it just doesn't give you that zip like when you're putting it all on the line like when you were playing." Berg's main responsibilities will be to coach the First Boys squad and to use the knowledge he accumulated playing pro as a resource for the other coaches at the private school. "It's exciting," Berg said of his new job, which he classifies as part-time. "It's a little stressful because it's a new position and you're not sure what the expectations, are and they don't know what mine are, but at the same time, it's an opportunity to make something out of it that I want." Berg loves the teaching aspect of coaching. "I love to teach, that's my thing," said Berg, who often picks the brain of his wife Wendy, a certified teacher, for ideas. Berg seems like a perfect candidate. He's thoughtful, well-spoken and well-rounded -- he played every position but goal in pro, starting as a defenceman before moving to forward. "I'll use those experiences and try and pass them on," Berg said. Berg said he has flashbacks from his pro days when he tries to make a point during practice. "I was such a rockhead," he said with a smile. "When I'm at practice saying this or that to the kids, I'll think, 'Geez, when I was playing, why couldn't I understand that?' " Berg loves the interaction with the players, even if it can sometimes be frustrating. "Each kid presents a different challenge," said Berg, who accumulated 55 goals and 122 points in 546 NHL games. "Each one learns in a different way and that's the challenge for me to find out what makes them better. That's what I get the joy out of." Berg had his fill of yellers and screamers during his career, although he said he loved playing for Pat Burns in Toronto, who was known for his fiery temper. "It's not rocket science, you don't motivate by fear," he said. "I don't think you get the most out of them that way." Berg talked a couple of times this summer with former St. Catharines Saints centre Bruce Boudreau, who won coach of the year with the Washington Capitals this season. "He told me he just tried not to do the things that ticked him off when he was playing," Berg said. "Guys who weren't up front with him or didn't treat him with respect." Berg also wants to make the game as easy as he can for his players. "My style is to simplify it down and make it so simple," he said. A big component of that, Berg said, is defining roles. During his time in Toronto, Berg excelled as a role player on a checking line with Mark Osborne and Peter Zezel. "The teams I played on that were successful, the roles were so well defined," he said. "It didn't seem like we were doing that much, but what we were doing was contributing. That's what I'm going to try and instill." Berg admits down the line he may look at a career coaching in the pro or junior ranks, but for now he's happy to be home for a change. He's cut out his broadcasting work at The Fan-590 in Toronto and is only working part-time at the NHL Network in Scarborough. He also gave up his scouting position with the Minnesota Wild. "When you play it's hurry up and wait and that drove me crazy," he said. "Once I was finished, I wanted to do all the things I didn't do before. "My family chased me around pro for 13 years. I'm a husband and father first and when the kids are done high school, then maybe that (coaching) is something I'll look at." .