James Berg Tournament supports minor hockey, scholarship fund

The second annual James Berg Memorial Tournament is in the books, and it was even more successful than the 2022 version. A total of $8,000 was raised last Saturday, smashing last year's amount of $5,500. 

The tournament is named after James Berg, a long-time supporter of and former president of the Niagara-on-the-Lake Wolves Minor Hockey Association, who died suddenly in December, 2021. Organized by the Berg family (wife Carolyn, children Mackenzie, Madison and Mitch), eight teams, some formed just for the tournament, competed to take home a set of t-shirts and bragging rights, with the team led by Kyle Pauls coming out victorious for the second straight year. 

James’ father Henry Berg dropped the ceremonial first puck Saturday morning, and Lord Mayor Gary Zalepa supported the tournament this year by dusting off his referee's jersey and coming out to officiate the two semi-final games.  

$6,000 of the proceeds will be donated to the minor hockey association, to support training sessions for players, while the remaining $2,000 will go toward a scholarship fund for graduating Wolves players.

The tournament was so popular this year that four teams were turned away when registrations filled up in late September. The family holds out hope that they can expand the tournament for 2024 with more available ice time at Virgil’s arenas.