Leaders of Unites #131 - Jorn Loots

18 March, 2026

'I had a lot of pent-up anger from my childhood in my body, and with basketball, I could let it out.'

As a child, I spent a lot of time working with wood. I made many swords

My name is Jorn Loots, and I am 17 years old. I was born and raised in Utrecht, in the neighborhood of Lunetten. I was seven when my parents divorced, and from that point on, I also lived half the time in the Kanaleneiland neighborhood with my father. Now I live with my mother again. I no longer have contact with my father.

As a child, I spent a lot of time working with wood. I had received a pocket knife from my stepfather and made swords and chisels and such out of wood. I would go and collect wood myself in the forest near my home. Later, I bought sandpaper myself and got a hand drill. I had a lot of free time after school and loved spending it working with wood.

Sometimes, just for fun, I would fight with sticks with my mother. She enjoyed spending time with me. I even once made wooden brooms for the end-of-year musical at primary school. I played with wood a lot until I was thirteen. But when I came into contact with basketball, I had much less time for it.

I had a lot of pent-up anger from my childhood in my body, and with basketball, I could let it out

My father played basketball and a few years ago told me I should play basketball too. But I wasn’t interested. Until we played basketball in gym class at secondary school. That was really the first time in my life I had a basketball in my hands.

I immediately started shooting and was instantly hooked. Soon, I only enjoyed gym class if we played basketball. Not long after, I asked my mother if I could have a basketball, and I was found every day at the nearby court. I had a lot of pent-up anger from my childhood in my body, and with basketball, I could release it.

On the court, I truly felt free, especially when we played a game. I loved the fight, energy, and mutual competition. I had found my new hobby and joined Utrecht Cangeroes. Besides that, I soon started coaching a team, children under ten years old. I have always enjoyed helping others and dedicating myself to something.

Unfortunately, last year I tore my cruciate ligament during selection training. Because of that, this season I am fully focused on coaching. I coach the under-18-4 team and get a lot of pleasure from it. Hopefully, I can start playing basketball again once I have recovered. I miss it.

During the 3X3 Leader Course, I mainly learned a lot about organizing an event. I really didn’t know there was so much involved

Last year, I asked my club if I could also be paid for the training sessions I give. I really enjoy it, but it also takes a lot of time. After consultation, it turned out not to be possible. But the club did send me a few options where I could earn money by giving basketball training. One of the options was 3X3 Unites.

Although I had just had knee surgery, I immediately signed up for the 3X3 Leader Course. In the beginning, I was mostly focused on getting to know the others and making new connections. But throughout the 3X3 Leader Course, I mainly learned a lot about organizing an event. I really didn’t know there was so much involved.

We organized a glow-in-the-dark tournament ourselves as the final event. I dare say that together with someone else, I came up with and arranged most of it. At first, I was annoyed that not everyone did as much, but in hindsight, it was also educational to learn to handle that in a good way.

When you organize something like this, you can always run into problems. I learned to think in solutions and not to give up when something goes wrong. It also makes you creative. For example, I made a large pot of soup myself for the participants.

The mini-saxophone symbolizes who I am as a person. I like to help other people, and the mini-saxophone is a tangible reminder of that

I think it was about two years ago that I was leaving home and wanted to go somewhere, when a man suddenly called out to me asking if I could help him. There was an old couch on the street, and he wanted to bring it into his apartment but couldn’t do it alone. I had the time and wanted to help the man.

Together with a third man, we lifted the couch upstairs. Once the couch was in the man’s apartment, he wanted to give me something to thank me. He picked up a mini-saxophone and a plastic diamond. I could choose what I wanted. I chose the mini-saxophone, and since then it has been very valuable to me.

The mini-saxophone symbolizes who I am as a person. I like to help other people, and the mini-saxophone is a tangible reminder of that. I like it as an object with a nice story behind it. I take great care of it. And when I meet the man nowadays, we always greet each other.

After finishing HAVO, I want to study at a teacher training college. My dream is to become a teacher, preferably at a primary school

I am in the fourth year of HAVO. Besides that, I spend a lot of time on basketball, my girlfriend, and friends. I enjoy going out. When I am at home, I sometimes sit and write in my notebook.

That’s how I try to process or give a place to difficult moments from my childhood.In addition, after school I also give two hours per week of basketball clinics to children in groups 3 and 4, and groups 5 and 6. I feel satisfaction when I see that they are enjoying themselves or when I can teach them something.

After HAVO, I want to go to a teacher training college. My dream is to become a teacher, preferably at a primary school. I am best with young children. I enjoy helping them and teaching them something. Yes, that always comes back to me.