Benjamin "Coach" Wade

TV Personality/ Orchestra Conductor/Actor

 

Coach, Maestro, athlete, musician, introspective philosopher, businessman, survivor, television personality, compassionate motivator, adventurer, teacher, pastor, Alpha male, competitor and Dragonslayer;  however you describe him, Benjamin "Coach" Wade is likely one of the most infamous characters to have graced the small screen.  As a contestant on the top-rated CBS Primetime reality television shows Survivor: Tocantins Brazillian Highlands and Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains, you either loved him or hated him, but either way you could not ignore him. 

 

Benjamin was born on September 18, 1971 in Knoxville, TN, and felt a strong affinity for music at an early age.  He began his musical career as a child and by the age of 16 was hailed one of the best young trumpet players in the world.  He continued to pursue his musical endeavors as a member of the University of Tennessee's Orchestra while majoring in Business, as well as playing with the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra.

 

A self-proclaimed 'Renaissance Man', Coach Wade prides himself on the diversity of skills he possesses and attributes this to his upbringing;  crediting his parents for instilling in him the idea that if you discipline yourself now, you will reap the benefits later on.  

“Whatever you have accomplished in the past doesn’t matter anymore.  The present is going by so fast that we can’t even judge it and all we have is the future to focus on the goals we have set for ourselves.”

In his youth, Benjamin's father supported him in every endeavor and built up a sense of confidence in his son by allowing him to put his personal "stamp" on everything he did.  His father told him, "Ben you are so good that even on your worst day you're better than everyone else!", and this is a mentality that he has taken as a positive motivator in achieving success through his own self-discipline and drive.  While doing all that he could to better himself, he continually tries to instill this notion in others.  

 

“I’m an encourager and a motivator.  I try to inspire people, to challenge them and that is the one thing that is consistent in all my roles.  Whether I’m a soccer coach, a conductor, a speaker, an actor, or a Dragonslayer – I try to sacrifice every fiber of my being for what I’m doing.  I try to leave my stamp, my mark, my legacy on everything that I touch and to take my weakness, turn it around and make it my comfort zone.”

 

In 1996, Coach Wade decided to embark on a previously unattempted kayaking adventure in order to prove to himself and the people who doubted him that he could accomplish any goal set before him.  Despite being attacked by a tiger shark, stalked by a jaguar, bitten by a piranha and having some very close encounters with natives, Coach holds the title for the Longest Kayak Solo Expedition at 6,132 miles, and he was the first kayaker to solo navigate the Orinoco and Amazon Rivers.  The novel "A Voyage Beyond Reason: The Epic Saga of Survival" was released in 2009, based on Wade's own personal journals and accounts of his record-holding trek.

 

In 1997, Wade moved to California to begin a career teaching collegiate women's soccer.  He earned the apt nickname of "Coach" over his 13 year career coaching soccer, through which he has been able to inspire and motivate teams by promoting the view that you are the best if you choose to be so.

In 2003, Wade co-founded the Susanville Symphony, an accomplishment in which he holds great pride and its importance surpasses that of any of his more rugged endeavors.  A documentary entitled "Small Town Big Sound" has recently premiered on the Documentary Channel.  Filmed by his brother, Peter Wade, in 2006, the film chronicles the accomplishments of the symphony and the importance of its existence to the Susanville community.  Inspired by the symphony and his passion, he earned his Masters Degree in Music from the University of Nevada Reno in 2005.

 

In 2009, notorious for being one of the most controversial characters to ever compete on the show, Coach finished in 5th place on Survivor: Tocantins.  Reflecting upon his time in reality television, Coach is grateful for the opportunities it has afforded him to work outside the “parameters of society”, where he had the freedom to play up his eccentricities and could push the boundaries of his own personality.  He became known for being a strategically strong contestant, for his passion, inner drive and discipline, as well as for being the storyteller that everyone loved to hate in the confidence versus arrogance debate.

“People think that I am full of myself.  But the arrogance is brought out because I have to protect myself from the naysayers.  I have been honest and given an account of myself at every step of the way but I can’t help but put up walls and become defensive.  You pontificate about who you are to justify yourself when you feel attacked, and I think that is what happens to a lot of people in the entertainment industry.”

 

The infamy of Coach’s quirky personality and sometimes uniquely outlandish character made him an obvious choice for the 10th Anniversary Survivor season; Heroes vs. Villains in 2010 where he was 9th person voted off and became the first member of the jury.  Coach recently recorded a music video with the newly formed rock band The Dragonz with his other Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains jury members Courtney and JT, and hopes that the band can pursue further opportunities in the future. 

Coach is currently still performing as Conductor of the Susanville Symphony Orchestra; which is his primary focus.  He is pursuing other creative outlets including acting and has recently been filming several leading movie roles. Wade co-stars in the film Isabel (2011) and plays the lead role of Gavin Larson in the movie 180 (2010).  He also puts his storytelling skills into use, performing as a motivational speaker and taking his drive to inspire others to the next level by instilling in people the voracious intensity needed in pursuit of success. 

 

His greatest musical aspiration is also one of his ultimate life goals. He is currently working on composing 20 symphonies in 20 years in 20 different countries, using their native instruments and borrowing from the inspiration of the country's musical identity and customs.  He has already completed the first of many symphonies to come.

Watch out for much more from the character and man who viewers have endeared themselves.  Coach is just getting started!