Set against the cinematic backdrop of the Wyoming ranch where former Nebraska Volleyball Coach John Cook is living a new adventure, a Nebraska Public Media Sports crew captured an exclusive interview and images for “The Last Ride with John Cook,” premiering at 7 p.m. Aug. 10 on Nebraska Public Media.
The public media network’s newest local sports documentary will also be available to a national audience on Facebook Live and YouTube Live exclusively during the Aug. 10 broadcast premiere.
After a 15-hour drive from Lincoln to Cook’s ranch, the former coach and his two rescue dogs greeted the crew. Cook pointed out the barns, the pasture and the peaks of the surrounding mountain ranges. Then, the crew got right to work, gathering footage of Cook riding his horses and roping cattle and preparing for the next day’s wide-ranging interview.
Veteran sportscaster Larry Punteney sat down with Cook to trace the extraordinary journey of a basketball player who found his calling on a different court. Drawing on his own meticulous research, Punteney guided Cook through a candid conversation about his humble beginnings in California, a life altering moment that reshaped his career and the evolution that transformed him into a coach known for his competitive spirit, as well as a pioneer in the sport of volleyball.
“I feel like I’ve done the best job coaching of my career,” Cook told Punteney. “That’s why it’s easy to walk away. I know I put everything I had into it.”
In “The Last Ride with John Cook,” Cook shares his thoughts on the ups and downs of coaching at Nebraska, how Nebraska Volleyball became the gold standard for women’s sports in America and why a record-breaking night in Memorial Stadium brought him to tears.
“That volleyball night was a game changer for women’s sports. And to be a part of that, to know we made that big a difference — it still gives me chills,” Cook said.
“The Last Ride with John Cook” was produced to be more than just a retrospective program about a coaching legend. It celebrates a man whose impact transcended the game of volleyball, shaping generations of athletes and redefining the game’s place in American sports culture.
Sports fans will have a front-row seat to see the definitive story of John Cook’s extraordinary coaching journey, his lasting legacy and his new adventures in Wyoming in “The Last Ride with John Cook.”
“The Last Ride with John Cook” was produced by Nebraska Public Media Sports. Viewers can learn more here.
Additional broadcast dates and times for “The Last Ride with John Cook” are available online.
