A former Olympic basketball player and member of Port Alberni’s national championship team will return to the city to give a motivational speech this month.
Jon-Lee (Kooty) Kootnekoff moved to the Alberni Valley in 1954 right out of high school and the next year played with the Alberni Athletics, winning the Canadian championship in 1955. Kootnekoff went south to Seattle to play basketball on a scholarship, earned a spot on Canada’s Olympic basketball team and coached Simon Fraser University’s first-ever college basketball team. He was inducted into SFU’s hall of fame in 2016.
Kootnekoff, 88 and now a resident of Penticton, has a Masters in Education in addition to his basketball accolades. A 40-plus-year veteran of the seminar circuit, Kootnekoff preaches positive thinking—and he lives what he preaches.
Kootnekoff is putting together a documentary of his life and will return to the Alberni Valley on April 13. While here, he has arranged to hold a “Spring Tune-Up” motivational seminar at the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 293 at Victoria Quay. He also hopes to meet with some current basketball players at ADSS along with athletic director Mike Roberts.
Kootnekoff transitioned from coaching to becoming an educational humourist who coaches people to reach their full potential by “letting go of fear, stress and anxiety.” In his Spring Tune-Up seminar he will address “the yin and yang of life” including overcoming fear via self-esteem, confidence building and relaxation; the six laws of thought for health, happiness and success; coping with stress creatively; humour and laughter in the home and workplace; and characteristics of high-level performers.
People who have taken Kootnekoff’s seminars call him “refreshingly unorthodox” and say his approach is “unstuffy.”
Kootnekoff’s seminar will run from 7–9:45 p.m. on April 13 at the Legion Br. 293 (4680 Victoria Quay). Tickets are $30 for adults ($50 for couples), $15 for seniors, $10 for students and available at the door. For more information, please call 250-723-5042.