PLAYER PROFILE:     
Dip Donaldson

August 23rd 2003 saw Robert "Dip" Donaldson celebrating eleven years of Coventry and Warwickshire Crusader Basketball, and although his role within the club may have changed many times within those eleven years, his focus and ambition for the club is no different today as it was when he first arrived in Coventry, "to take his team to the top". 

He has played basketball seriously since the age of 16. 

Nevertheless, Dip admits that even from when he was a very young child playing with brothers James and Matt it was always he who would work out the plays and plans to give them the right strategy for winning. 

Whether it was Basketball, Baseball, American Football or just Monopoly it was always Dip that came up with the recipe for success that would bring with it the right result. 

It is that same recipe that Dip has been anxious to share with the people of Coventry and Warwickshire for the past eleven years, and even though things have not always gone according to plan for Dip Donaldson and his Crusaders, he has shown himself to be strong and resilient, always willing to pick himself up and get back on track for what he believes in. 

When you talk to him you might be fooled into thinking Dip is 100% American, nevertheless, although raised in Sacramento California by his American parents, Dip was in fact born here in England.  

His dual nationality therefore qualified him to play for England's National Team and he has done so twenty eight times.  

In addition to this Dip has been the assistant coach for England's men's and youth teams, as well as representing Great Britain at the World Student Games four times, once as a player and three times as assistant coach.  

He was part of the coaching staff that helped England bring home the Gold Medal at the Edinburgh Commonwealth Games. 

Further to this in November 2002, Dip was elected onto the executive board of the English Basketball Association (EBA), the sports governing body, as EBA Director of International Teams, overseeing and directing the sports international programme.

Dip has always felt that "Representing your country in any sport is the highest honour you can achieve." 

However, it was 1982 and ten years prior to his arrival in Coventry that Dip Donaldson started his English Basketball career. 

The next twenty one years has seen him play for clubs such as Birmingham Bullet's where he enjoyed two spells. 

The first was in 1982 on his arrival in England and again in 1985.

In the meantime he had played basketball in the summer of 1984 in Venezuela before returning in the autumn of 1984 to play for a season with Team Glasgow. 

After returning to Northwest Nazarene College, Nampa, Idaho USA to complete his BA in Social Work in 1986, Dip again returned to the Midlands in 1988, however, this time he made his home with Leicester Riders. 

At Leicester, having already displayed a flair for coaching basketball he was appointed as Head Coach in addition to playing. 

He stayed with Riders until his move to Coventry in 1992 when he and Rob Bromfield formed a partnership that would see them buy the franchise from Second Division Coventry Flyers and reform and rebuild them as Coventry Crusaders. 

Within twelve months they had moved the team up from the Second and into the First Division prior to spearheading them to both league and championship titles in their second season, and before later becoming one of the teams to form the "Elite League" in the National Conference'sinaugural season of 2000/01. 

Eleven years with Crusaders has as previously stated, brought numerous changes of role. Dip started as Co owner and player. Then in 1997 he became sole owner and Dip settled into the triple and unique role within the National League, as Owner, Coach and Player.  

Even though he recognised that it would be a very difficult job for any one he chose to bring in as Coach, and that they would certainly need to be of strong character, Dip stepped down this season as Coach, in favour of his long time friend and playing partner Derrick Pope.  

He had always felt that Derrick would make the perfect successor, and although Dip remains on the coaching staff as Assistant Coach along side Marcus Garvey, he is pleased to have more time to put into running the business side of the club. 

He is, nevertheless, totally committed to playing Basketball as his fitness this season shows. Despite being 44 years of age Dip Donaldson still remains a formidable sight on court and has already shown himself capable of producing some very useful points this season including a 27point performance on the opening day. 

Be it as Owner, Coach or Player, His strong disciplined approach to life and to basketball developed under the influence of his father who served in the American Military for 21 years and was keen to pass the quality to his sons.

It is evident that this Donaldson trademark has remained with Dip throughout his career, and despite his elder brother James being a former NBA All Star player.  

Dip looks to his father as being the biggest influence on his early career. Married to Beth in June 1983 Dip attributes a great deal of his success to her.  

Not only has Beth joyously produced him his own stating five - Timothy, Sydney, Marcus, Robert (RJ) and Eric and more recently his first cheerleader Tirzah, all of whom can be seen supporting Crusaders at all the home games. Beth has given him her untiring support over the last 20 years. 

He said himself after one particular game last season, "My wife has forgotten more about basketball than many coaches have ever known. Having been married to me for 20 years she has seen me play in hundreds of games and she knows every situation.  To be honest if she was not a full time mum I would ask her to sit on the bench with Marcus and myself as a coach." 

But where did that Nickname come from? Dip isn't actually his real nickname; it's Little Dipper.                                              

"My older brother James played as a pro in America and they used to call him  "The Big Dipper" at high school.  I went to the same high school and they started to call me The Little Dipper.

My real nickname is "The Little Dipper" but it has been shortened to Dip." 

Over the years Dip Donaldson has become well known and very highly respected in the world of English Basketball. 

Seeing the excitement and the enthusiasm on the faces of the youngsters be it at Crusader Development Coaching sessions or at the Saturday night game, is evidence enough of what Dip Donaldson has brought to Coventry and Warwickshire since the formation of The Coventry Crusaders.  This was something that was eventually recognised last year when the public voted Dip Donaldson as Coventry and Warwickshire's Sporting Hero of 2002.

Name

Robert L. Donaldson  

DOB

04-09-59  

Nationality

British / US Dual Nationality  

Occupation

Director Coventry Youth For Christ, Owner Crusader Basketball Club  

Position

Forward - Or Whatever's needed  

Crusader Debut

September. 1992 

Previous Clubs

Birmingham Bullets, Leicester Riders, Oldham Celtics, Manchester Giants, Team Glasgow, Guanare Venezuela  

How Long been Playing Basketball

Since I was 16 

Likes The Game Because

It keeps me young and in good shape. Basketball makes you trust your team mates if you want to win. 

Career Highlights

Playing 28 times for England, Wembley Championship 1994 

Ambition in Basketball

Win Another Championship 

Biggest Influence on Basketball Career

My Dad: Mr James Lee Donaldson Sr.  

Most Admired Player

Dr. J, Larry Bird and Michael Jordan 

Most Admired Coach

Garry Mattlock (College USA) , Phil Jackson, Marcus Garvey & Derrick Pope 

Favourites

Food

Mexican & Chinese 

Movie

Godfather series

Holiday Destination

Seeing Family 

Music

Contempory Gospel  

Hobbies

Collecting Gospel Music. Playing with my boys & Tirzah 

Other sports played /watched

Baseball, American Football  

Three Words That Describe Yourself

Truthful, Friendly and Funny

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