Athletic success all in Dee family

By: DAN HAYES - Staff Writer | Sunday, August 21, 2005 8:30 PM PDT ∞

Rancho Buena Vista's Johnny Dee
Don Boomer
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SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. ---- Donnie Dee and his family still are trying to grasp the magnitude of the Little League World Series experience in front of them.

Fortunately for the family, the former Indianapolis Colts and Seattle Seahawks tight end brought a video camera to help capture moments such as the opening ceremonies Sunday.

That same camera was also on hand two weeks ago when Dee's son Johnny, a member of the Rancho Buena Vista Majors All-Star team, tagged a pair of home runs in a West Region tournament victory over Utah in San Bernardino ---- well, sort of.

"I'm way below average," Dee said of his camera work in San Bernardino. "I went home and watched the tape of (the grand slam). I was too busy watching the ball, and the camera was all over the place. ... (This experience) is so surreal. I'm not sure how to feel."

In truth, the adventure to South Williamsport has been one of excitement for Donnie, 40, his wife Jackie, 39, and their 10-year-old daughter, Jenny.

That, and it and adds to an already impressive list of sporting events that Dee family members have participated in.

> Jackie ran cross country at the University of Tulsa.

> Donnie played linebacker and tight end at Tulsa then tight end in the NFL from 1988-90 before a knee injury forced him to retire.

> Donnie's dad, Don, was a member of the U.S. Olympic basketball team at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City. He also played two seasons for the Indiana Pacers of the American Basketball Association.

"It's awesome," said Johnny Dee, whose team defeated Westbrook, Maine, 7-3 on Sunday night to improve to 2-0 in the Little League World Series. . "I think that god blessed us."

Both Jackie, who also worked as a sports information director at Tulsa, and Donnie attribute athletics as a driving force behind their meeting.

Jackie recalled seeing Donnie in a class and looking him up in the media guide so she would know his name. Things quickly took off from there, but not without a little playful ribbing from Jackie's co-workers.

"It was just a big joke," Jackie Dee said. "I kept stats for the football team (when Donnie was a linebacker), and my co-workers would say, 'Donnie wasn't in on that play.' "

The couple married in 1988.

Toward the end of Donnie's career at Tulsa, he began to delve into the spiritual side of sports after talking with some of his collegiate teammates. He considered himself blessed with athletic ability and wanted to give back.

With that in mind, he and Jackie began working with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes in Fort Collins, Colo.

According to FCA.org., the 54-year-old organization's goal is to connect the world of athletics with religion.

"I wanted to play for a bigger reason," Donnie Dee said. "I've been given a gift, and (now) I want to honor who gave me that gift."

For 14 years, that's exactly what he and Jackie have been doing.

The couple spent six years working in Fort Collins before moving to Vista when Donnie was named the Regional Director for Southern California.

In truth, he was the region's only employee at the time even though the region included Santa Barbara, Riverside, Ventura, San Bernardino, Los Angeles, Imperial, Orange and San Diego counties.

Since Donnie took over eight years ago, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes' presence in the region has grown from 20 campuses to more than 200.

In short, he's a busy man ---- but not so busy that he hasn't been there throughout Rancho Buena Vista's 22-game winning streak.

And you'd better believe he wasn't going to miss out on the Little League World Series.

"When you're by yourself you'd think you'd be so busy," Donnie Dee said. "Then you get staff and there's more work. It's more demanding now. ... But for my son to be a part of something like this will probably take me a couple of months to grasp."

Especially without the help of videotape.

Contact staff writer Dan Hayes at (760) 739-6643 or dhayes@nctimes.com.