Robb Dunn Was a Successful Speed Competitor:
Robb Dunn was a competitive speed skater for 16 years. He was coached and mentored by Virgil Dooley for the last 7 of those years, and that is when he achieved much of his competitive success. His achievements included Senior Men's National Gold Medalist in 1980 and 1982 and recipient of the Elmer Ringeisen Sportsmanship Award in 1983.
The Striders Were His First Coaching Success:
In 1985 Robb Dunn retired from competitive speed skating when Virgil Dooley re-located to Florida, and the coaching duties of the Riverside Striders were passed over to him. Robb worked hard to continue the tradition and tone that had been established by Virgil and developed the Striders into a team that rivaled and in its own way surpassed the success of his coach, mentor and friend.
Quads Were the Equipment of Choice:
In those days speed skating was an all-quad sport since there were no inline skates at the time, or at least none that went faster than quad skates. Robb Dunn coached the Riverside Striders from 1985 until the 1987-1988 competitive season with success in every division.
Robb Dunn is the Father of the Wolverines:
The Wolverines Speed Team began in 1988 when Coach Robb Dunn and Co-Coach Roger Briddick established the team at the Great Skate in Roseville, Michigan.
Dunn Was Able to Grow with His Sport:
Inline skates were introduced in January of 1991 at the then famous Orlando Classic; five wheel frames were the norm with the 76mm wheels that basically everyone skated on. The 1992 and 1993 Indoor National Championships were truly the start of what the future would hold for the Wolverine speed team on inline speed skates.
Robb Enjoyed a Rewarding Coaching Career:
Robb Dunn was the United States Coach of the Year in 1988 and is a member of both the Athlete (1989) and Coach's Hall of Fame (1998) for USARS. He was the USOC Coach of the Year in 2003 and coached the Wolverines until 2005 when he retired.
Robb Dunn is a Speed Skating Success Story:
Robb Dunn has enjoyed World Championship and World Cup success with many athletes in the sport of Inline Speed Skating and Inline Racing. Dunn is a former World Speed Team Coach, Pan American Games Team Coach and was a successful competitor on roller skates several decades ago, when he himself was a member of the United States World Team. He was U.S. Coach of the Year in 1988, and is now a member of both the Athlete and Coach’s Hall of Fame at the Roller Skating Museum in Lincoln, Nebraska.
In 2005 Coach Robb Dunn retired after 20 years of competitive coaching. But, he is still active at major events and provides workshops and seminars for inline speed skaters and coaches around the United States. Robb has done a lot for inline speed skating and roller sports in the United States and continues to contribute to existing and new roller sports disciplines.
Robb skated in an era when artistic skating, speed skating and fun skating were all part of the same package, so it is not a bit surprising to find him rolling at Riverside Arena and Skatin' Station 2 derby girls practices to help the roller derby team develop better speed and maneuvering skills. It is also no surprise that he still skates great.
