Just For The Fun Of It

Our thanks to everyone that participated in our first Dine and Make A Difference FOR THEM event at the Pilot House. We know that the staff and owners were very appreciative of the support from our league families.

Our next event will be at Five Guys Burgers and Fries at 770 Gardiners Road on Wednesday March 30. Five Guys has been a long time supporter of what we do so we hope that the league families that are able to will come out and support a business that has supported us. This is our chance to say thanks to them and help them come out of the pandemic on their feet.

As mentioned last week, with restrictions on in door dining being relaxed, we hoped that you would remember the businesses that have helped support us in the past. Last year we organized a series of Dine and Make a Difference FOR THEM events to support those businesses, and we have decided to do it again now to help give them a boost as we all start to feel our way out of the restrictions.
The first of these events will be Wednesday, March 9th at The Pilot House of Kingston.

Even though there is no direct benefit to us with this event, we feel it is important to support the restaurants that support us, and so many other local organizations. Whether you decide to eat in, or get take out, we hope you will take the time to say thanks in this way to the owners and staff at the Pilot House next Wednesday – or any day that you feel like having the best fish and chips in the city!
We will be posting menus and other relevant information in the next few days.

With further COVID 19 restrictions due to be removed next week, we are sure that many of you will be anxious to gradually start to get back out into the world again in person. When you do we hope that you will remember the businesses that have been supportive of us in the past, many of whom have struggled the last two years. Just as a reminder:

The Pilot House
Five Guys Burgers and Fries
East Side Mario’s at Division and Weller
TaTa’s Pizza on Princess near Frontenac
Jack Astor’s
– all hosted Dine and Make a Difference events in the past.

As well, these businesses supported our Player of the Week winners with recognition

Coffee Way (donations for Player of the Week recognition for Biddy, Girls and Graduate Divisions)
McDonald’s Family Restaurant on Division Street (donations of Player of the Week recognition for Little Guys and Little Gals Divisions)

We don’t have any fund raising events planned with these businesses yet, but let us know if you think we should do another round of “Dine and Make a Difference For Them” events to help jump start activity for their businesses, and to say thanks again as we come out of the pandemic shadow over the next couple of months.

We would like to welcome K. Mulrooney Trucking Limited to our list of local businesses that believe in and support what we do in the community. This week we received a donation from them for our program. Madison Mulrooney wrote “We certainly acknowledge what a positive outlet this is for boys and girls whom enjoy the sport of Basketball in our Community. As mentioned on the phone, a number of my immediate family members have enjoyed and partaken in being part of this organization inclusive of myself. It is because we recognize the organization is instrumental in keeping young individuals active and supporting their enjoyment of the sport of Basketball we would like to make a donation to assist in expenses. Supporting our Community is key to success. Our cheque will be going out in the mail this week to help this organization’s continued success in our community.”
Thank you for believing in us Madison. You are difference makers!

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/