The 20-year-old Swift Current native will suit up for Team Saskatchewan in March
Hunter Berg was first introduced to wheelchair basketball at Camp Easter Seal near his hometown of Swift Current, Sask., but it wasn’t until he moved to Saskatoon three years ago that he decided to pursue the sport seriously.
Berg moved from Swift Current to Saskatoon to attend the University of Saskatchewan and rediscovered his passion for wheelchair basketball.
“When I moved for school a couple of years ago, I found wheelchair basketball again, fell in love with it and chose to pursue it more,” Berg explained. “I got to know Jared Sajtos three years ago. He really brought me into the game when I was going back to school.”
For Berg, learning from Sajtos has been crucial for his development.
“He’s a very technical guy. When I do something wrong on the court, he’ll pull me aside and tell me what I need to do better,” said Berg. “He’s always giving me pointers and tricks to elevate my game. He means the world to me right now in terms of my development.”
Growing up, Berg, who was born with cerebral palsy spastic diplegia, dabbled in para ice hockey and competed in wheelchair racing at the Western Canadian Summer Games but was always drawn to wheelchair basketball.
“Just the pace of the game and just how it’s more team-reliant,” Berg said of why he chose wheelchair basketball. “I just love playing a team game. I love playing as a team.”
Last year, Berg represented Team Saskatchewan at the Canada Winter Games in Charlottetown, where his home province finished sixth.
Now, the 20-year-old is looking forward to taking on more of a leadership role as the next Canada Games cycle begins with the Junior West Championship in Regina next month (March 15-17).
“There’s obviously some work to do, but I’m looking forward to taking a leadership role and helping other athletes develop,” Berg said. “I’m looking forward to what this team has in store in March and just the next couple of years before the 2027 Canada Winter Games.
“It’s going to be different from my role at the last Canada Games, and I’m looking forward to taking that next step in my basketball career.”
Berg is also hoping to put himself on the radar for the Canadian Men’s U23 team.
“I’m working towards that every day,” he said. “It’s something that I am really passionate about, and I’m hoping I get the opportunity to do it in the future.”
Off the court, Berg is a third-year accounting student at the University of Saskatchewan. He’s hoping to work as an accountant while pursuing his CPA upon graduation.