June 1998 saw the launch of The
Crusader Foundation. A charity set up and run by the Crusaders with the aim of using
Basketball as a vehicle to reach out to young people irrespective of race, age, sex or
financial status, and with the goals of promoting positive experiences, a healthy life
style, team building skills and racial harmony.
The Crusader Foundation would take
over, run and expand the club's youth development programme.
A pre season tournament in aid of the
foundation proved popular with fans and was supported by the fellow Division One Clubs
taking part, Cardiff Phoenix, Guilford Pumas and Solihull Chiefs.
The summer months were busy for the
Crusaders.
They again ran Summer Camps in
different parts of the city.
This year however, they expanded the
activities beyond basketball, by taking the youngsters on trips to Coombe Park and to the
Mega Bowl. Besides the camps, team members became involved in weekly training sessions at
the Coventry Sports Centre in Association with the City Council's summer programme
"Active Zone".
Early summer saw the return to America
of fans favourite Matt Donaldson who had spearheaded the Crusaders since his arrival in
1993.
It also saw what looked to be the star
signing of 40 year old Russ Saunders, the all time leading scorer in British Basketball
was to play full time and coach the junior programme.
However, things didn't work out and
Saunders had left the club before the season started.
Mercia Health Benefits despite being
taken over by BUPA announced their continued sponsorship of the Crusaders.
Only days later Coventry Crusaders
were dealt a cruel blow with Coventry City Council's refusal to back The Basketball
club’s bid for a £3 million lottery funding to help build their planned £9 million
complex on the site of the former Butts Stadium in Spon End.
This decision would in effect hinder
any application the club would make to gain promotion into the Budweiser League.
The decision also raised the question,
Would the Crusaders be forced to follow their predecessors "Team Fiat's" lead,
who when so fed up with the lack of support from Coventry City Council moved 20 miles
north to become the very successful Birmingham Bullets.
Coventry City Council were however
keen for the Crusaders to team up with the Rank Organisation, and move into the new multi
million pound complex "Leisure world" currently being built on the former GPT
site in Spon Street.
On the very eve of the new basketball
season the Coventry Evening Telegraph announced that the Crusaders were indeed to make the
new "Leisure world" complex their home.
This announcement was not confirmed by
the Club until a contract was signed later in the year.
Politics put to one side, the season
opened on 12th September with a home tie against Brixton.
It was a rocky start on Court.
Team personnel changes and the absence
of Coach Marcus Garvey recovering from surgery did nothing to instil confidence in the
team.
And when Garvey returned two weeks
into the season, rain stopped play as the Sport Centre roof demonstrated why a new home
was required.
Soon things started to settle and by
the end of the month Crusaders had chalked up their first victory.
In early October confidence was raised
with the news that former Crusader Jimmy Smith was returning to the club as player and
Assistant Coach after three years down at rivals Plymouth Raiders.
The league wins mounted slowly but in
the National Trophy Crusaders were riding high before going out in the semi finals to the
eventual winners Teesside Mowhawks after a 2 point defeat in over time.
Crusaders had received a boost going
into this game with Dip Donaldson being named as Division One player of the month for
November.
The dawning of the new year brought
with it successes for both the men's Senior squad who through a run of five successive
wins had risen to 6th in the table and for the ladies' team.
The Lady Reds were now close to the
top of Leicestershire League Division Two and had also reached the semi final of the
Leicestershire Women's Basketball Plate Competition.
Success was short lived and the men
were soon down in eighth position with a disappointing 10-10.
Coach Marcus Garvey decided to
"get tough" with his players as he reminded them that 7 of the 10 losses were by
less than 4 points.
Team morale was however boosted with
the inclusion of Darren Weaver and Rick Solvason in the Division One All Star squad.
Following February's successful Just
Basketball tournament at the Coventry Technical Collage organised by The Crusader
Foundation, March saw the unveiling of new plans for a £4 million development on the
Butts Site.
This time the proposed venture would
be a joint venture with Coventry's Rugby Club and would see the long awaited indoor
Basketball Academy along side a Rugby Stadium and Club House.
The Crusaders appointed Sean Coleman
as Business Manager to over see the project's planning and finances.
However, before the season's end, the
Crusaders would be served with another cruel ultimatum from the City Council to come up
with £400,000 in 14 days or shelve the project.
There was further disappointment on
the court as well as off it as in a game that saw Crusaders win by their biggest margin
ever 99-72 both Rick Solvason and Alvin Scott suffered fractures to fingers, which was to
sideline them for the final two league games.
Crusaders finished a disappointing 8th
place with 12 wins and 14 losses.
This finish forced a first round play
off clash with the newly Crowned Division 1 Champions Solent Stars which subsequently saw
the end of the Crusaders 98/99 season.
