Ken Cole
Former Head Coach at the top level in Australia, Dual Olympian, Business Leader, Motivational Speaker and Torch Bearer for the 2000 Olympics.

By all accounts, Mr. Ken Cole is considered one of the greatest Australian basketball players and coaches of all time. No stranger to controversy, Mr. Cole’s innovative winning strategies and charismatic influence transformed the very core of Australian sports culture. An unparalleled sports and business success, Mr. Cole remains a lightning rod and media icon, living a whirlwind of monumental challenges and victories. As a dual Olympian and one of the top three all-time coaches in international basketball, Mr. Cole defines the concept of an industry legend. As a world proven, disciplined leader, mere summaries of his extensive business and sports careers inevitably fail to do him justice. Mr. Cole single-handedly redefined Australian basketball – and that was just the beginning.

Mr. Cole is universally recognized as a powerful leader. His unmatched winning records stand with the best in any sport, in any country. Incorporating controversy into a unique formula for victory, Mr. Cole achieved a level of success and media attention that few have ever achieved in basketball or otherwise.

Beyond successful coaching and playing careers, Mr. Cole sought new challenges – he decided to apply a lifetime of team building and game winning tactics to the major leagues of business. However, in the midst of this transition, Mr. Cole entered into a battle with his most formidable opponent: diabetes. Requiring a litany of medications just to cope with the incredible pain caused by neuropathy, the best medical advice was simply to continue on painkillers until all the nerve endings in his feet were dead.  Forced to use a cane for walking even the shortest distance, he had had enough. Not about to admit his first major defeat, and faced with life threatening complications and rapidly failing health, Mr. Cole rebounded to control his disease through nutrition and lifestyle. Mr. Cole has reduced his insulin by half, eliminated all other medications, and resumed a daily workout regimen. And so began a lifelong commitment to help every diabetic share in his win.

Mr. Cole eventually moved on to become highly successful in several industries, excelling within the brutally competitive markets of U.S. subcontractor labor, nutritional supplementation, health, fitness, and international trade.

Today, Mr. Cole is a highly sought consultant and motivational speaker.

With business relationships in the U.S., Australia/New Zealand, Pakistan, China, Malaysia, Thailand, Saudi Arabia, and South Africa, Mr. Cole is a tremendous resource for businesses.

Mr. Cole will be advising Thinkubator and its portfolio clients on matters of international marketing, sales, and product distribution strategies.
 

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Business Highlights (partial list)
Motivational Speaker
Speaks to organizations globally about team building, winning strategies and has become one of the most sought after speakers on diabetes.  He promotes lifestyle and diet changes as a positive approach to the diabetic pandemic.

Thinkubator, Inc.
International Advisory Board
Advises Thinkubator, Inc. and its portfolio holdings on marketing, sales and product distribution strategies.

Youngevity, Inc.
Athletic Advisory Board
A leading designer of dietary supplements and cutting edge personal care and wellness lifestyle products. 

Juice Plus+
Marketing Director
Became the Master Distributor in Australia and established Juice Plus+.  His team generated over $2 million in monthly revenue.

Deep South Labor Service
President
Founded the largest subcontract labor service in Louisiana/Texas with clients such as Halliburton, BFI, & Exxon.

Keynote & Corporate Speaking Credits (Partial list)
Australian Institute of Bankers
Australian Businessmen's Association
Telecom (Australian's largest telephone company)
Australian Taxation Office

Personal Player Highlights
The only player in Australian basketball history to represent four States:
- New South Wales
- Tasmania
- Victoria
- South Australia

• Australian Olympic Representative 1964-1968
• Australian World Title Rep 1962 to 1970
• New York Nationals vs Harlem Globetrotters USA Tour
• Drafter Anaheim Amigos USA: ABA Professional League
• Australian Titles: South Australia 1972
• Australian Titles: Victoria 1966 – 1971
• Australian Titles: Tasmania 1965
• Australian Titles: NSW 1961 – 1964
• State Junior Representative 1958
• Australian Myths & Legends: World Masters Games Edmonton, 2005
• Australian Myths & Legends: World Masters Games Sydney, 2009

Playing Titles Won

• Australian National Championships
• Australian Club Title
• New South Wales Championship
• South Eastern Conference
• Sydney Championship
• Tasmanian Championship
• Victorian Championship

The only player/coach to ever reach this level of achievement in Australian Basketball:

• MVP VICTORIA: Australian Championships
• MVP ST KILDA: Victorian Championships
• NUMEROUS TOP SCORER AWARDS

Coaching Highlights
Rated by former LSU Coach Dale Brown as:
"One of the top three coaches in international basketball."

• Head Basketball Coach, First Division, Olympic Level - 1968 to 1992 [23 years]
• NBL COACH OF THE YEAR [1986]
• COACH OF THE NBL ALL STARS [1989 and 1991]
• The only coach in Australia to coach three State teams
  - New South Wales
  - Victoria
  - South Australia
   
• South Australia
  - Director of Coaching (basketball)
  - First consultant appointed by the Education Department to guide schools on sport and recreation curriculum.
   
• IBC (International Basketball Corporation)

  - Conducted the first ever Coaches Clinics at the World Titles in Manila

  - Arranged for US coaches to travel worldwide

  - Established a worldwide major basketball service organization

• AUSTRALIAN TEAMS COACHED
  - Newcastle Falcons [NBL]
  - Sydney Supersonics [NBL]
  - Adelaide 36ers [NBL]
  - West Adelaide [NBL]
  - Australian All Stars – Manila
  - New South Wales State Team
  - South Australian State Team – 3 times
  - Victoria State Team – 2 times
  - St Kilda [Victoria]
  - Telstars [Victorian Women]
  - South Adelaide [South Australia]
  - Assistant Coach & Selector/Australian Olympic Team
   
• CHAMPIONSHIPS WON
  - Australian Club Championships
  - Australian National Championships/States [with Victoria and South Australia]
  - Inaugural Trans-Tasman Championship
  - Major Country Tournaments [15 over a 3 year period]
  - National Basketball League 1982 and 1986
  - National Basketball League Finals 1982, 1983, 1985, 1986 and 1988
  - National Basketball League’s Preseason Tournament [Sydney K-Mart Classic 1988]
  - South Australian Championships
  - South Eastern Conference
  - Victorian State Titles [10 times] including summer and winter
  - Australian University Championship
  - Multiple Victorian Women’s Championships
   
• International
  USA
  - Southern California “Breeze” – USA Professional Women’s League
  
  Egypt
  - Egyptian National Team
  
  MEDALS INTERNATIONAL WORLD MASTERS GAMES (SYDNEY 2009)
  - SILVER (Over65)
  - BRONZE (Over60)
  
  OTHER AWARDS & HIGHLIGHTS
  - AUSTRALIAN SPORTS MEDAL (2000)
  - OLYMPIC TORCH BEARER (SYDNEY 2000 OLYMPICS)
  - OLYMPIANS CLUB OF AUSTRALIA
  - MEMBER BASKETBALL AUSTRALIA STARTING FIVE CLUB
  - VICTORIAN BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION HALL OF FAME (1991)
  - GOLD MEDALS AUSTRALASIAN MASTERS GAMES (2007)
  - FACE OF BASKETBALL FOR THE SYDNEY WORLD MASTERS GAMES (Registration Pamphlet 2009)