PLAYER PROFILE:     

Derrick Pope

Player Profile

Derrick Pope

Taking over this season as Head Coach, has given Derrick Pope more work but more challenges and talking to him before the start of the season the Crusader veteran was looking forward to the new challenge and felt ready to take on his new role.

Born in Wichita, Kansas, USA on 28th October 1961, Derrick admits that basketball was far from his preferred choice of sport.

Nevertheless since his arrival at the club in July 1999, as predicted Derrick has proved himself as one of the best Basketball players ever signed by the Coventry Crusaders

Crusader owner Dip Donaldson was delighted to have signed the then 37 year old Pope for the 1999/2000 season, knowing that he had the talent to play in the premiere BBL if he had so chosen.

Now at 42 years of age Derrick is still as formidable a player on court as he has ever been. And has become well respected and popular throughout the English National League.

As a youngster Derrick had shown a great talent for American football and had dreams of one day playing in the NFL. However, it became obvious to both him and his parents that he was growing upwards rather than outwards.

So out of motherly concern for her only son Mrs Pope senior suggested that Derrick, who by now was a skinny but tall 16 year old, look to take up basketball rather than being knocked about on the football field.

Although still passionate about football, Derrick focused on his natural talent for the game of basketball.

He played at both High School and later at College level when he won a scholarship to the University of Montana to study Sports Medicine and Education.

It was while he was playing for the Men's team at Montana that he met up with his wife Shari a member of the ladies college basketball team.

Following University, Derrick was drafted into the NBA's Portland Trailblazers were he trained and played pre-season with future NBA stars, before turning his attention to Europe and the opportunities to play there.

In1983 Derrick transferred to Scotland, where he played for almost 2 seasons in Glasgow.

During his second season there he met and played along side Dip Donaldson and although during that season Derrick switched clubs to Team Falkirk the two friends remained in close contact with one another.

After Falkirk, Derrick and his family moved to France where he was to spend the next 14 years playing basketball for a total of 4 different teams.

He felt at the time that the French game offered him more challenges with increased competition as well as improved financial security.

His first French team being C.E.P. Lorient where he spent 5 years followed by 2 years at N.B.C. Nantes.

Derrick describes one of the highlights of his basketball career as being 2 of the 5 years that he spent with his third French Club C.O.B. St. Brieuc.

Here his game was enhanced by the team spirit of all his colleagues.

They were a team committed to each other and to doing well both on and off the court.

They played well together and were best of friends. Crusader fans will remember the very Charismatic Pierre Bonneau who made a move to Coventry at the same time as Derrick and who teamed up with Derrick during his first Crusader season.

Both he and Karim Houari, whose stay at Crusaders was somewhat brief played along side Derrick during his time at St Brieuc and remain very close friends.

After 5 years at St Brieuc, Derrick was in need of a challenge so took up the offer to play at a higher level at B.C.M. Gravelines where he stayed for 2 years, before agreeing to make the switch to Crusaders.

His 14 years in France allowed Derrick to take up dual citizenship so he has a dual passport enabling him to play for Crusaders as a non-American player, which is beneficial to the club.

Under National Basketball League rules in this country, teams are still limited to just two American players per side unlike the BBL teams who are allowed more.

Derrick and Shari along with their five children appeared to settle quickly here in Coventry.

The challenges and the pressures are different here to what Derrick had previously experienced.

Derrick finds that playing basketball here is less stressful and now feels that he has the opportunity to play for pleasure, and enjoy the other things in life (There must be a good golf course some where around here).

Whether he will still feel it's less stressful however, after his first season at the helm remains to be seen.

Within weeks of arriving in Coventry The Pope family had made Crusader history as eldest son Nicholas took to the court at the age of 14 along side his Dad.

Nicholas became a regular member of the first team, until his recent move to study in America. However, unlike Crusader fans, Derrick doesn't seem to notice that the young star is a "chip of the old block".

They are not just Father and Son, they are best mates.

Earlier this season history was repeated as Derrick's other two son's Nathan and Bryson both kited up for the senior team. Nathan 16 and Bryson 13 are both key members of the Crusaders Junior squad and both worked and trained hard to earn their places on the senior bench.

Derrick feels that maybe later when he has hung up his boots he will reflect on the history of what they have achieved as a family, but for know he is just pleased to have the talented youngsters on the same side, irrespective of who their father is.

Now in his 40's Derrick does not expect his body to do what it did when in his 20's.

He highlights the difference between being injured and being hurt. He would not play through injury but his mind is strong he remains focused and he can play when it hurts.

After four seasons with Crusaders Derrick's goals are the same as always.

Never to be negative and Always try to be consistent.

His court performances show that he regularly achieves both these, as he consistently produces one of the highest leagues scores.

The basketball experience as well as his calming influence and determination made Derrick the perfect candidate for team Captain when the vacancy arose towards the end of his first season.

Team members take their lead from his example and know what he expects from them.

On signing for Crusaders Derrick became Director of Coaching.

Taking responsibility for running the Crusader Foundation and its community programme and by organising and overseeing the school coaching programmes as well as summer basketball camps, tournaments and Crusaders other activities within the Coventry and Warwickshire community.

Derrick has been the force behind Crusaders influx of developing young talent and is the catalyst for the current list of youngsters who have now made it into the senior squad.

His move to take over as Coach now seems to be a natural transgression of all that he has already achieved her in Coventry

Derrick gains much pleasure from seeing benefits of the game from all aspects passed on to future generations.

"It is nice to give back to the youngsters all that

I have learned throughout the years ! "

This page was updated by fpadmin on 31 October 1999 23:02   -   Another website by CWN Web Services!