Just For The Fun Of It

After careful consideration of all the COVID 19 factors in play in our community, we have come to the difficult decision that we will not be able to offer even an abbreviated 2021-22 season this year. We started the fall optimistic that we would be able to get players back on the court in our program before the normal end date of our season, and now we see that will simply not be possible from either a practical or logistical perspective. We share your disappointment. We want to thank those people that have made donations to the program over the last months. Those donations have helped to off set our ongoing operating costs whether we are playing or not. Our thanks to all of you for believing in what we do. We will now turn our energies to preparation for the 2022-23 season. Roland

It is with profound sadness that I report to you the passing of Joanie Sagriff (Besselink) after a long, and very courageous battle with cancer. Joanie leaves behind her husband Rick, her sons Paul and Ben, her brothers Rob , Gerry and John, and her sister Mary Jane. Also left to mourn her loss are the extended family she had with both the Besselinks and the Sagriffs, as well as her basketball and soccer families in Kingston as well.
Joanie was a pioneer in our program. Along with her good friend Mary O’Neil ,she lobbied tirelessly to have a Girls Division added to the league offering, and although she was only able to play one season, what Joanie and Mary did has grown in to the Girls and Little Gals Divisions many of you reading this have enjoyed since that first season. Joanie coached with us, and when her boys played she was a frequent visitor back to the gym. She was also very actively involved with Kingston minor soccer.
In the last few years, as she battled this terrible disease, Joanie showed the strength of character that kept her and her family moving forward, and earned her the respect of those around her.
On behalf of everyone involved in our program , I offer my sincere condolences to Joanie’s family and to her friends. May your memories of this very special woman be a blessing and a comfort to you all in the days, and weeks ahead. RB

Comment from Charlie Mignault received January 4, 2022

Rollie, a fitting tribute to Joanie! . What a basketball legacy Joanie left us with. I cant think of anyone else who could have convinced Pete to open the league to girls! With Mary, Joanie demonstrated all the virtues that Pete loved and respected. She had integrity and perseverance and follow through on promises. In short – she was trustworthy. As a basketball player, Joanie was a great teammate and led by example. Anyone who watched basketball in the 1980s in Kingston knows what a fierce competitor she was – never relenting till the final buzzer – and did it with a high degree of skill and athleticism. She put the team first and cared about her teammates as friends. Later, she coached for many years – she loved her players and they loved her – and her spirit. As a friend, she gathered all those attributes and was loyal, generous and compassionate. She shared with everyone she crossed, that most important human characteristic – a kind heart. Our league is grateful for your unique and special contributions Joanie and we are all blessed by your wonderful example to us all. Rest in Peace my friend

Comment from Carla Miller received January 5, 2022

My sincere condolences to the family. My family was very endeared with both Mary Jane and Joanie. You ladies were a great protofile for the future of your students. Love and best wishes to all.

Comment from Ihor Dejneha received January 5, 2022

I had the honour of teaching both Rick and Joanie at Regiopolis – Notre Dame. Both were an asset to the classroom and the community. Joanie played on the senior girls volleyball team and I remember a weekend tournament at Cairine Wilson High School in Ottawa where she was voted “Most Sportsmanlike”. A fitting tribute then and now!

My most sincere condolences to both the Sagriff and Besselink families.

Our condolences to the family and friends of Robert Heyman who passed away December 31. Mr Heyman was a frequent visitor to the gym over the years and was the grandfather to Juliana Sargent. Juliana is a former player that has stayed involved with the league as a volunteer coach, and in recent seasons has taken on an expanded role in support of the Girls Division on Wednesday nights. We as a league family offer our sympathies to his family and friends and especially to Juliana. We hope that his memories will bring you comfort and be a blessing to you in the days ahead. The family has asked that in memoriam donations be made to the basketball league. Mr. Heyman’s obituary is below.

Robert James Heyman
Beloved Husband of 53 years to Dianne. Loving Father to Michelle (Chris) and Troy (Catherine).

Proud Papa of Robert Jr. and Juliana. He will be sadly missed by his many siblings, their spouses, brother and sister-in-laws and their families.


Family will receive friends at the Evangel Pentecostal Church on Wednesday, January 5, 2022, between the hour of 10 to 11, followed by the Funeral Service at 11am, with interment at Glenhaven Memorial Gardens.


In memory of Robert, donations can be made to the Just For The Fun of It! Pete Petersen Basketball League.

Walter Capobianco has passed away after a brief battle with cancer. Walter was first a proud parent in our league that became a volunteer coach in the Biddy Division that always was willing to help at registration and for events. I had the pleasure to know Walter on two levels, as a coach and also as a dedicated man that I worked with at Alcan and Novelis. A great sense of humour was a constant companion for Walter throughout his life, and I have never seen him happier than he was when he was coaching with his son John. We owe Walter and his family a lot for their support, and John is the person behind developing this web site. We all hope that the many happy memories that Walter gave all of us will be a blessing to the family in the time ahead.

As mentioned in an earlier post, the family of the late Brenda Taylor requested that donations in her memory be made to the basketball league. Our thanks to the Smith family for their donation in Brenda’s memory. In speaking with Brenda’s daughter Sherri, I know that she was deeply touched by both the donation , and by the outpouring of support she has received since her mother’s passing.

This week we also received an in memoriam donation from the Kingston and District Sports Hall of Fame in memory of KDSHF member Anne Turnbull. Anne was a true champion of women in sports throughout her time at Queen’s University. I first met Anne when I was a student working at the Queen’s Phys. Ed Centre, and later worked with her as a member of the KDSHF Selection Committee. When preparing to write this I reflected a bit about our own organization , and realized that Anne would like what we have. We have many women in positions of leadership in the league in all divisions, and also in the roles of coaches and mentors for our players to emulate in their lives. Opportunities for all of them – all of you – in those positions over the years is something Anne would be proud of.

Our condolences to the two families in this post on your loss. We hope that the memories you have of Brenda and Anne will bring you comfort and peace. Thank you for believing in what we do for the children in our community. R

Yesterday Mark Potter wrote a very heartfelt article on his blog about his relationship with Don Petersen. It is an insightful look at the man so many viewed as a mentor, advisor, supporter and friend. Don was awarded a Paul Harris Fellow a few years ago, and the motto of that award is “Service Above Self”. Pete was everything that award embodies every day of his life, and Mark does an amazing job of capturing the magic that was Don Petersen. Here is the link to the story.

https://ktownsports.blog/2021/12/04/hey-pete-thanks/

Today is National Philanthropy Day and so, we want to take a moment to thank all of the individuals and businesses that have taken the time over the years to make personal and business donations to support our program. Those donations have been made in memory of individuals, to celebrate events, and from businesses and individuals that believe in what we do to support the children and families in our community. In these trying times, all of us involved with the league continue to be overwhelmed by the generosity of your donations. Along with the ongoing support of the Algonquin and Lakeshore Catholic District school Board, we could not continue to keep the dream of Don Petersen alive without your help. Don wanted to give the children in his community a safe and affordable place to learn how much fun the game can be. Our thanks to all of you for helping make that dream a reality. RB

This weekend I was contacted by local artist Herman Kaur with the following message

“My name is Herman Kaur and I am an artist by passion.
I have some of my artwork set up at Coffee Way donuts on Division street.
Through my artwork, I always donate a significant part of it to local charities/ community work.
Kris at Coffee Way mentioned their relationship with the Pete Petersen Basketball League and I wanted to reach out to you as I wanted to donate some amount from my recently sold artworks at Coffee Way.
You can check my artwork here: https://instagram.com/artsie_by_passion?igshid=ydgk9kayzhvk

Herman was born and raised in New Delhi, India and is a Queen’s Alumna (2019). She did her Bachelor of Engineering from India and Master of Engineering from Queen’s.
She is currently working as a Project Manager, where she is leading a team of Engineers and product designers.
As a trained Indian classical singer, Herman has been performing in India and overseas for a long time.
In her free time, she loves to paint and pursue her passion for Fine Art.

Thank you Herman for exploring what we do for the children in our community, and thank you for believing in our organization. Our thanks too, to Kris at Coffee Way for telling Herman about us. If you are at Coffee Way take the time to have a look at some of Herman’s work on display there. Christmas is coming!

We would like to welcome the Kingston Community Credit Union to our list of local businesses that support what we do for the children of the community! Earlier this year we were contacted by Kathy Lavorato, KCCU Manager of Compliance / Operations in Kingston, to explore what KCCU could do to help with league operations. After our ongoing delays, it was decided that they would make an initial cash donation to offset operational costs associated with a COVID 19 restart, and continue to explore additional ways that the KCCU team can work with us in the future. Yesterday we picked up a cheque for $1000 at the KCCU branch on Gardiners Road, presented to league representative Roland Billings by KCCU Board member Bram Fisher (left in the photo) and KCCU CEO Jon Dessau (right side of the photo). Our thanks to both of them, and to Gardiners Road Branch Manager Carrie Pereira for hosting the cheque presentation and for taking the photo for us.

Our thanks to the KCCU Board of Directors and the local leadership team for believing in what we do for the children in our community. You are making a difference in their lives.

We look forward to continuing to work with the Kingston Community Credit Union in the future.

Recently we received very generous donations from the following individuals in support of the league.

From Yvonne Way and her family in memory of Hilda Walker. Yvonne herself passed away shortly after making the donation so in addition to our thanks, we pass along condolences from the league family to the Way-Brackenbury family on their loss.

Long time league supporter Mark Potter made a significant personal donation to “Help keep Pete’s dream alive”.

David Reid and Heidi Traulsen also made a significant donation as they have annually for many years now. Dave is a former coach of the Raptors in the Biddy Division, and he and Heidi hope that the gyn will soon be alive again with the sound of basketball.

To all of these supporters, thank you for believing in what we do for the children in our community. You have made a difference in the lives of the children that will be part of our program. Be proud of that. R