HALIFAX – The province of Nova Scotia and City of Halifax have been a big part of Anna Pendergast-Stammberger’s life.
The Kensington native relived many of those fond memories during her induction into the Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame recently.
“It was a huge honour (to be inducted),” said Pendergast-Stammberger in a phone interview with the Journal Pioneer. “Nova Scotia has a very rich tradition and history of fantastic athletes and teams.”
After graduating from Kensington Intermediate-Senior High School (KISH), Pendergast-Stammberger went on to play basketball with the Dalhousie Tigers’ university team in Halifax, 10 years with Canada’s national team from 1982 to 1992 and played 15 seasons semi-professional in Germany before retiring in 2003.
“(It was at Dalhousie) where I learned to be a better basketball player, student-athlete and also learned to be a leader,” recalled Pendergast-Stammberger, who has been head coach of the Dalhousie women’s basketball team since 2009. “I made it onto the national stage and international stage during my time in Nova Scotia.
“During that time we went to the national final, played in two national championships, went to the Olympics and won a bronze medal at the world championships.”
Pendergast-Stammberger spent seven important years in Halifax immediately following high school – five as a player with the Tigers and two as an assistant coach – before going to play in Germany.
“My time at Dal, and certainly Halifax, had some moments and huge stepping stones for me individually as a player,” said Pendergast-Stammberger, who became the first female athlete from P.E.I. to compete in the Olympic Games in 1984 as a member of the Canadian women’s basketball team.
Halls of fame
Pendergast-Stammberger’s resumé now includes membership in three halls of fame. She is a 2003 inductee into the P.E.I. Sports Hall of Fame, and was inducted into the Dalhousie Sports Hall of Fame in 2016.
Like her two previous inductions, the daughter of Austin and Ethel Pendergast was thrilled to be able to share this “very pleasant experience” with people who are special to her.
“I had a lot of family members come over from P.E.I., and my parents were able to make it, which was nice,” she continued. “I had a lot of former teammates and supporters of our athletic department.”
It didn’t matter where Pendergast-Stammberger was playing, she was grateful for strong support, especially from her home province.
“That starts with my family from P.E.I., and all the way up through,” said Pendergast-Stammberger, who praised the support she received from her husband Hartwig Stammberger, both personally and professionally. “My high school coaches, Phys. Ed teachers, there were a lot of great people like (retired KISH teachers and coaches) John Bowness, Bob MacFarlane, Garth Campbell and Gerald Dixon, who were all heavily involved in my development as a student-athlete.
“Then onto Dalhousie and Carolyn Savoy, and then onto the national team.”
Pendergast-Stammberger also pointed out the influence her teammates had on her development throughout the years.
“There were so many great teammates at KISH, Dalhousie and with the national team, where you learn a lot from your peers and the seniors on your teams.”
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