Luke Stern

Induction into the Newfoundland and Labrador Volleyball Hall of Fame is the highest honour Volleyball can bestow on an individual in this province. Ludwig (Luke) Stern is honored by his peers for his contribution to Volleyball as a builder.

Luke Stern moved to Kelligrews, NF with his family from Germany at the age of nine. He has a degree in physical education, which he began at Memorial University and completed at the University of Victoria in British Columbia. Luke began his coaching career at the YMCA in St. John’s in 1968. That year his junior team won the Provincial Championship and finished second in the Atlantic Championships in Fredericton, NB. His second year Y team also won the Newfoundland Championships that year and competed at the nationals in U.N.B. For the next three years, Luke’s junior Y team would remain provincial champions and in 1970-71 represent the province at the Canada Winter Games.

The Senior YMCA teams, which he coached and played for, were provincial champions in 1968,69,70 and in 74.

Luke has continued to coach since that time. Taking on responsibility for the 1974-75 men’s winter games team with Bill Fagan. He has coached the men’s and women’s team at Memorial University, a team in the senior’s ladies league, the ONCA men’s team and a high school team in Mount Pearl.

Over the years, Luke has attended many coaching clinics in his quest to improve his knowledge of the game he loves. He started in 1967 at Memorial University, St. John’s with Mr. Jan Prsala and continued under such people as Charles Cardinal, Val Keller,
Mr. H. Toyota and Lorne Sawula.

Luke Served as President and Vice President of the NLVA and has also conducted level 1 and 2 coaching clinics for the NLVA across the province.

In 1970, Luke was one of four Newfoundlanders selected to attend an officials clinic in Winnipeg and for many years he took his turn on the stand to help the game develop and served as a chairman of officials.

Throughout Luke’s volleyball career he has had several other interests and involvement’s. He was President of the Sugar Loaf Ski Hills in Outer Cove for two years. He began the Crush Minor Basketball Program in Mount Pearl when he was a Director of Recreation in the City of Mount Pearl. He was a volunteer for the Canadian Red Cross in aquatics for eighteen years. Luke also participated in recreational hockey, softball, tennis and he is an avid golfer.