Over the past decade, Steve Donahue has cemented himself as a key part of Philadelphia’s basketball culture.
The coach led Penn out of their 8-year NCAA Tournament drought, winning an Ivy League title in 2018. He helped develop the school’s all-time leading scorer, four-time all Ivy League Player A.J Brodeur. And just last season, he led St. Joe’s to a remarkable achievement: three straight seasons with twenty-plus wins, in the uber-competitive A-10 conference.
Speaking on the phone with the coach, you can hear the pride in his accomplishments, and the reverence towards his players past and present. That includes his passion for the place that started him on his coaching journey: Ursinus College, home of the Bears.
“It’s the place that probably drove my inspiration for coaching,” Donahue said. “It was really eye-opening.”
The Hawks coach played at Ursinus for four seasons, from 1981-84. During his freshman year in 1981, he was part of the only Ursinus Men’s basketball team to make the NCAA final four.
“Even being a freshman, and actually missing our spring trip to Florida, it was such a great experience,” Donahue said.”I’m still good friends with many of those guys to this day.”
As he continues to strive for new heights, both in Philadelphia and the national basketball spheres, Donahue still relies on many of the lessons that he learned in his collegiate beginnings.
The Collegeville coaching tree
It’s been 42 years since Donahue played under legendary Ursinus coach Skip Worley. He can still easily recall Werley’s demeanor and his ability to “capture a room.” Worley’s secret? The “respect he had for his players,” according to Donahue.
“He made such an impact with how he talked to us kids,” he said. “He never cursed or raised his voice, and his calmness allowed us to be poised.”
Having a coach of this nature was an adjustment for the young Donahue, different from any coach he’d ever had before. But Werley became the inspiration for how the former Bear leads his teams today.
“I came from a background of very strict coaches, and Skip allowed us to make real decisions,” he said. “He gave us confidence and ownership [of our decisions], and showed me how coaches can really make an impact.”
Those values are something Donahue looked to implement in his coaching career, from the very start. Fran Dunphy, former head coach at Penn (and the winningest coach in school history), was his first “boss” at the collegiate level. He explained Donahue showcased these impressive traits, even early in his career.
“He was always very aware of what was going on in his players’ lives,” Dunphy said. “His players would give him their feelings, and in return, he gained their trust.”
Through the guidance of the unique Werley, Donahue found a way to connect with his players, bringing him immediate success.
“All of us evolved overnight with him as a coach, and that progression was inspiring,” Donahue said.
The city of brotherly hoops
The differences between Ursinus and a Division 1 basketball program like St. Joes and Penn are vast, in terms of talent, resources, and the required athlete time commitment. However, Donahue pointed out that Ursinus and these schools have one thing in common: their proximity to one of the most passionate basketball regions in the country.
“Philadelphia is a basketball hotbed,” he said. “There’s so much talent to pull from as a coach.”
Dunphy agreed, citing the deep connection between the coaches of the region.
“I’m retired, and I’m still tight with all of these coaches to this day-from Jay Wright (former Villanova coach) and Phil Martelli (former St. Joe’s coach), to current coaches like Adam Fisher (Temple) and Fran Mcaffrey (Penn),” he said. He even admitted he had made a trip to Collegeville this spring, to see some old friends and watch the Bears take on the Swarthmore Garnet.
To Donahue, the city’s basketball culture also has a special place in his heart due to his time competing within it. He harkened back to being a teenager in the city, competing in weekend games against locals.
“We would play against great NBA players like [now-ESPN announcer] Tim Legler, but because the games only went up to eight points, anyone could compete,” he said. “There was a camaraderie you built from competing in [local players], and you learned how to find ways to contribute to a team”
Nevertheless, the coach emphasized that this culture has slowly subsided within the region, amidst a large shift in youth sports. Young basketball players in the region now largely commit their time to “AAU” teams and expensive organized youth leagues, leaving little time for the traditional pickup games.
“Because of capitalism more than anything, it’s subsided,” he said. “We’re forced to try to find guys who would’ve fit within that culture during that time period.”
Lots of those guys exist at the Division 3 level though, according to Donahue.
“Division 3 is built around kids who just want to play,” he said. “They don’t receive any extrinsics [like scholarships], it’s just intrinsic motivation.”
To him, rosters full of that love for the game sets schools at the D3 level apart.
“These are groups of guys who are overcoming things to be here, who care about the game, not just the uniform.”
Looking for sophomore success
As Donahue enters his second season as head coach, he’s looking to build on the success of last year. The pressure will certainly be on, as the Hawks seek their first NCAA Tournament berth since 2016.
Even amidst the obstacles ahead, Donahue pointed to a desire to deliver what he sees as his ultimate goal: helping his pupils develop into stronger versions of themselves on and off the floor, just like he did at Ursinus.
“The motivation as a coach for me, is the same as it was as a player,” he said. “I want to create lifelong experiences for this group, just like I received.”
