‘No Westosha volleyball without Berg’

Halie Hart, a 2014 Westosha Central graduate, and her former teammate Maddie Brown (left), a 2015 graduate, spoke in defense of their former coach Charlie Berg (Submitted Photo/The Report).

Former students speak out in defense of dismissed coach

By Jason Arndt
Staff Writer

Westosha Central High School’s decision to dismiss head girls volleyball coach Charlie Berg left some of his former players perplexed and parents outraged.

Berg, who devoted 40 years of his life to the community, received notice he will not return for another season by officials at Westosha Central on Dec. 19.

School officials based the decision following a season marred by a WIAA Division 1 playoff ban when the team played in one too many tournaments, Berg said.

Charlie Berg

“Obviously, it was the scheduling error,” Berg said last week. “I told them I was not going to resign, but based on what I heard, it was something Central wanted to do.”

District Administrator Scott Pierce reported the decision had been made by the School Board and administration, but declined to give further information, saying it was a personnel matter.

Berg’s abrupt departure ends a legacy that includes five WIAA Division 1 state girls volleyball titles, 19 state championship appearances and an unforgettable influence on hundreds of students within the community.

Halie Hart, a 2014 Westosha Central graduate and two-year letter-winner for Berg, states the program would not exist without her former coach.

“There is no Westosha volleyball without Coach Berg at this point,” Hart said. “I feel like he put Westosha on the map through his experiences coaching his team with all of the successes he had and all of the years he has been here.”

According to Maddie Brown, a four-year letter-winner and 2015 Westosha Central graduate, Berg deserved an honorable exit.

Brown does not think Berg intentionally broke the 30-year-old WIAA bylaw that ended her former school’s volleyball season.

“In no way was it intentional, Coach Berg is not that kind of person, he was the most humbled and disciplined man I ever met,” said Brown. “I feel for Coach Berg and his family, honestly, he should be able to leave on his own terms and not like this.”

An abrupt end
Westosha Central, a state-ranked team and favorite to reach the state championship series, had no shortage of highlights during regular season play, one of which was winning a share of the Southern Lakes Conference title with rival Burlington.

Entering the SLC tournament at Burlington, Westosha Central already had seven tournaments under its belt, the maximum limit according to a WIAA bylaw.

Following the tournament, a school reported the violation to Westosha Central Athletic Director Jonathan Lindh, who reported it to the WIAA.

Consequently, the team was disqualified from the playoffs.

Both Brown and Hart empathized with the students, noting the problem was avoidable.

“The thing that really bothers me is the fact that all of this could have been avoided if it wasn’t for the unethical actions and withholding of information from our biggest rival,” said Brown. “Coach Berg would still have a job if this would have been brought to the (school’s) attention before all of this happened.”

Hart agreed, adding the students were the unwitting victims.

“They didn’t know that it was the wrong thing for them to compete in (the SLC tournament),” said Hart. “They were just doing their jobs and playing the game they loved.”

Although allegations have surfaced regarding the rival school in question, including two anonymous letters from residents at the involved school addressed to the Westosha Report, officials involved at the undisclosed school have not come forward on record.

Brown still has difficulty comprehending the motives of the school.

“I couldn’t believe it, I couldn’t wrap my head around why someone would do that, not only to the program, but to the girls,” Brown said. “I really feel sad for the girls and their families.”

Parent mulling options
Lori Hall, mother of freshman varsity player McKenna, served as an assistant coach under Berg last season.

She reportedly told Pierce that unless Berg returns, she does not plan to continue with the program, and has mulled options related to a potential transfer of McKenna.

“Since she was nine years old, she has dreamed of being part of the Westosha program under Coach Berg’s direction and legacy,” said Hall.

Barring a change of heart by Westosha Central, Hall and her daughter are exploring other opportunities.

“(McKenna) has been working double time to meet the deadlines for school choice to find another school within driving distance,” said Lori, noting McKenna is a scholar-athlete

While the thought of students leaving the school saddens Hart and Brown, both hope to see them carry on the Westosha Central tradition, but the mission is a team effort.

“I would just tell them to try to continue on the tradition of Coach Berg,” Hart said. “Try to incorporate the tradition of him into the younger players.”

“I would honestly hate to see some of the girls go,” said Brown, noting some traditional values. “Stay true to what you know is right. Be respectful, be classy, because that is everything that Coach Berg told us to be.”

Hall, meanwhile, reports the community has expressed an interest in a potential protest at the school.

“The biggest supporters are the local businesses that surround the school,” Hall said. “The overwhelming support for Coach Berg and his family says it all. He is more than a coach, he is a community member loved by all.”

More than a coach
Berg, who reportedly started as a teacher at Brighton School, spent decades as a mentor and made contributions beyond the volleyball court.

Brown, who played for Berg on the 2013 state runner-up team, remembered when Berg stressed the importance of school coursework and obtaining high academic marks.

“I remember in high school, he would always ask me, ‘How are your studies going? How is this class? How is school going?’” Brown recalled. “He definitely cared. It wasn’t like he was just around for the volleyball aspect.”

Hart agreed.

“I think that started from even the kids he taught all throughout his grade school, a lot of kids grew up with him from kindergarten all the way through high school,” said Hart, referring to Berg’s time at Brighton.

“(Berg) wanted to make sure all of us were excelling in all areas of life,” Brown said.

The duo, meanwhile, has continued their careers at the collegiate level, with Hart serving as a junior libero at Division 2 Michigan Technological University in Houghton.

At Michigan Tech, Hart has compiled a 4.0 GPA in back-to-back years in pursuit of a psychology degree.

Brown plays at University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse, where she is a sophomore studying biomedical science.

Although both play collegiately, Berg has left an unforgettable impression on their lives.

“He is one of the most influential people in my life – probably the second most, next to my dad,” Hart said.

“(Berg) was just a very positive influence – he teaches only respect and class, and for other people and for other programs,” said Brown.

The most memorable moment, according to both, was their state championship run in 2013, where they finished second.

“The process of leading up to the state tournament, I remember him telling us specifically, ‘This is our time to get the piece of the pie,” Brown said. “We worked so hard as a team…he made us believe and that is something that is invaluable.”

Hart, who acknowledged the team came up short her junior season, found redemption in her last year as a Falcon.

“It was the best experience to date, and I don’t think any other experience in my life can top that,” Hart said. “I am glad that I could have been coached by him.”

An irreplaceable legacy
According to Hart, Westosha Central faces an impossible task in replacing Berg.

“Impossible. I think it’s impossible. He has been there for so long and he instilled the tradition as a family-oriented program,” said Hart. “I don’t think the program will ever be the same if he was not affiliated with it in any way, shape or form.”


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