Coach (Survivor contestant)

Benjamin Wade grew up in Knoxville, Tennessee, the son of William and Cherri Wade.{{cite news|title=Ben and Jessica Wade Welcome Lenna Marie Newton Wade|url=http://www.susanvillestuff.com/ben-and-jessica-wade-welcome-lenna-marie-newton-wade/|access-date=February 1, 2018|work=Susanville Stuff|publisher=Couso Technology & Design|date=May 15, 2014|quote=Ben and Jessica Wade are proud to announce the arrival of baby Lenna Marie Newton Wade born May 8, 2014 at 11:49 a.m. Lenna weighed 7 lbs 1 oz and was 20 inches long...Paternal Grandparents: William and Cherri Wade...}} He attended Tyson Middle School and West High School in Knoxville.{{Cite book|title=Westerner, Volume XXXV |first=Jana|last=Hammonds|publisher=Taylor Publishing Company|year=1986|page=167}} He began his musical career as a teenager, playing trumpet in the Knoxville Youth Symphony Orchestra and making appearances with the Indianapolis Symphony, the Knoxville Symphony, and the New York Metropolitan Opera. He majored in business administration at the University of Tennessee and graduated in 1993, before obtaining a master's degree in music education from the University of Nevada.{{cite web|last=Williams|first=Alan|title=SURVIVOR: Knoxville-native "Coach" talks game plan with Volunteer TV News at 11|date=February 12, 2010|url=http://www.volunteertv.com/entertainment/headlines/84208227.html|access-date=February 16, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100215143313/http://www.volunteertv.com/entertainment/headlines/84208227.html|archive-date=February 15, 2010|url-status=usurped}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.reddingroyalsfc.com/coach-wade|title=Coach Wade|website=Redding Royals FC|language=en-US|access-date=April 6, 2019|archive-date=April 6, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190406011553/http://www.reddingroyalsfc.com/coach-wade|url-status=dead}}

In 1997, Wade was hired at Simpson University in Redding, California, to coach the women's soccer team. During that time he led the Lady Red Hawks to 2 NCAA final 8 appearances. His combined record was 18-12-3. From Simpson he was hired as both the Men's and women's soccer coaches at Patten University in Oakland, California. During his two year stint, Wade led the women's team to a .500 record going 15-15-2 and led the men's team to a conference championship in 2000 going 16-4-1.{{Cite web |last=Holmes |first=T. J. |title='Survivor' TV star Ben Wade coaching soccer in Redding |url=https://www.redding.com/story/sports/2017/03/26/survivor-tv-star-ben-wade-coaching-soccer-redding/99625988/ |access-date=2025-01-23 |website=Record Searchlight |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Peterson |first=Paula |date=2013-12-12 |title=Soccer Coaches Hired for Lake Tahoe Community College |url=https://southtahoenow.com/12/11/2013/soccer-coaches-hired-lake-tahoe-community-college |access-date=2025-01-23 |website=South Tahoe Now |language=en-US}} He spent 22 years coaching collegiate soccer teams and ended up at Southwest Baptist University in Bolivar, Missouri from 2005 to 2009.{{Cite news |title=TRANSACTIONS |url=https://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F70E11FE3B5A0C778DDDAD0894DD404482 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20131104185248/http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F70E11FE3B5A0C778DDDAD0894DD404482 |archive-date=2013-11-04 |access-date=2025-01-23 |language=en}}{{cite web|url=http://bolivarmonews.com/news/article_56dca815-5b39-517d-8e37-c55df7871bc0.html|title=Benjamin Wade of Bolivar in CBS' Survivor|last=West|first=Sarah|publisher=Bolivar Herald-Free Press|date=January 16, 2009|access-date=May 12, 2010}} After his appearance on Survivor, Wade was fired as head women's soccer coach for the university.{{cite web|url=http://www.realitytvworld.com/news/-survivor-tocantins-castaway-benjamin-wade-fired-from-coaching-job-8480.php|title='Survivor: Tocantins' castaway Benjamin Wade fired from coaching job|last=Bracchitta|first=John|date=February 19, 2009|access-date=April 18, 2010}}{{cite web|url=http://www.realityblurred.com/realitytv/archives/survivor_tocantins/2009_Feb_19_ben_wade_fired|title=Benjamin Wade fired as college soccer coach|author=Andy Dehnart|author-link=Andy Dehnart|date=February 19, 2009|access-date=February 16, 2010}} The university's athletic director Brent Good had fired Wade for not telling the school that he would be taking two months off in order to participate in Survivor. Good stated in an interview, "He [Wade] said he was going to be gone for a week...the week went beyond that, which went beyond that, which went beyond that." According to Good, Wade left the team with two weeks left in the season in October but did not return to the school until December. In 2010, he signed a contract to coach the men's soccer team at Lassen College, a community college located in Susanville.[http://www.lassennews.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=5853:ben-wade-to-coach-lassen-college-mens-soccer-team&catid=3:sports-&Itemid=41 "Ben Wade to coach Lassen College men's soccer team"], Lassen County Times, May 4, 2010. On December 10, 2013, Wade was hired as the first ever men's soccer head coach at Lake Tahoe Community College. After 20 years of coaching collegiate soccer he retired from that position in November 2015 to spend more time with his family.{{cite news|last1=Gentile|first1=Anthony|title=Wade leaves Lake Tahoe CC men's program, retires from coaching soccer|url=http://www.tahoedailytribune.com/southshore/ssportsoutdoors/19156502-113/wade-leaves-lake-tahoe-cc-mens-program-retires|access-date=December 3, 2015|work=Tahoe Daily Tribune|publisher=Swift Communications, Inc.|date=November 20, 2015}} In 2017, Wade came out of retirement, taking the position of head coach for Redding Royals FC semi-pro soccer team. {{Cite web|url=http://www.redding.com/story/sports/local/2016/11/25/area-roundup-redding-royals-fc-enter-season-with-new-coach/94466752|title=Area Roundup: Redding Royals FC enter season with new coach}}

In 2002, Wade began coaching at Lassen Community College, led the program to a 61-6-1 record during his tenure. With an overall career record of 102-26-3, Wade ranks second on the junior college coaching list for winning percentage. He was honored as the Golden Valley Conference Coach of the Year in both 2002 and 2003.{{Cite web |last= |title=Jaggard helps lead Lassen College |url=https://www.recordcourier.com/news/2004/oct/04/jaggard-helps-lead-lassen-college/ |access-date=2025-01-20 |website=www.recordcourier.com}}

File:Maestro Benjamin Wade - PR 2010.jpg

Wade was hired on with the Susanville Symphony in 2003. His main instrument was the trumpet. He has composed several classical music pieces and is the co-founder and current artistic director and conductor of the Susanville Symphony. In 2011, his ballet The Four Elements premiered.{{cite web|url=http://www.susanvillesymphony.com/#/season/2010-2011/beauty-dance/|title=The Susanville Symphony}} A documentary featuring the accomplishments of this organization is chronicled in Small Town Big Symphony, filmed by his brother Peter in 2006.{{cite web|title=Documentary Channel|url=http://documentarychannel.com/movie.php?currID=3842&t=Small-Town,-Big-Symphony|website=Documentary Channel|access-date=April 2, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120910214703/http://documentarychannel.com/movie.php?currID=3842&t=Small-Town%2C-Big-Symphony|archive-date=September 10, 2012|location=Internet Archive|url-status=dead}} Wade was also a teacher of music history at Lassen College.{{cite web|url=http://media.www.omnibusonline.com/media/storage/paper193/news/2010/02/10/News/coach.Gets.Second.Chance-3868249.shtml|title='Coach' gets second chance|last=Block|first=Brendan|publisher=The Omnibus|date=February 10, 2010|access-date=April 19, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100416015533/http://media.www.omnibusonline.com/media/storage/paper193/news/2010/02/10/News/coach.Gets.Second.Chance-3868249.shtml|archive-date=April 16, 2010|url-status=dead}}

Wade was selected to participate on Survivor: Tocantins, the 18th season of the series, in 2009. Being one of the most controversial characters to ever play the game,{{cite web|url=http://www.buddytv.com/articles/survivor/exclusive-interview-coach-benj-28721.aspx|title=Exclusive Interview: Coach Benjamin Wade, from 'Survivor: Tocantins'|date=May 15, 2009|access-date=February 16, 2010}} he was recognized as the main antagonist of this season; however, host Jeff Probst has stated he doesn't feel like Wade did anything to earn this reputation. While in the game, he gave nicknames to his fellow tribemates: James "J.T." Thomas, Jr., the "warrior", Stephen Fishbach, the "wizard", Tyson Apostol, the "assistant coach" (to which Apostol later wished to upgrade himself to "co-coach"), and himself, the "Dragon Slayer". These players together formed the "Warrior Alliance".{{cite news|url=https://www.today.com/popculture/survivor-heroes-vs-villains-cast-revealed-wbna34739276|title='Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains' cast revealed|agency=Associated Press|date=January 11, 2010|access-date=February 16, 2010}} Ultimately he made it to a fifth-place finish, and was the fifth member of the jury, as well, voting for Thomas to win the title of Sole Survivor.

Wade was perhaps most famous for telling his fellow castaways stories of adventure from his previous exploits as a professional kayaker.{{cite web|url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/2701145/Survivors-Coach-slams-critics/|title=Survivor's Coach slams critics|last=Schulz|first=Chris|date=July 8, 2009|access-date=February 16, 2010}} Such stories were chronicled in the book A Voyage Beyond Reason, written by Tom Gauthier, although many of these stories were revealed to have a rather casual relationship with reality.{{cite web|url=http://www.realityblurred.com/realitytv/archives/survivor_tocantins/2009_Apr_28_coach_lies|title=Benjamin 'Coach' Wade's lies: kayak record, other claims disputed|author=Andy Dehnart|author-link=Andy Dehnart|work=reality blurred|date=April 28, 2009}}

For the 20th season of the series, CBS brought back "heroes" and "villains" from previous seasons. Wade was selected to participate for the Villains tribe and was the ninth person voted off and the first member of the jury. During his time in the game, he was a part of the Villains majority alliance and had a close alliance and relationship with fellow Villain Jerri Manthey, leading some to believe that the two had a possible romantic connection. He appeared to be in the majority alliance on his tribe at the time of his elimination, but outsiders Sandra Diaz-Twine, who would be the eventual winner, and Courtney Yates managed to convince the alliance that he was not trustworthy, and he was sent to the jury in lieu of Yates. At the reunion, Wade mentioned that after watching this season and Tocantins, he realized how people viewed him, and decided that he did not want to be viewed as "The Dragon Slayer" anymore.

In 2011, Wade returned to Survivor for the third time in Survivor: South Pacific, as the self-styled 'Zen Slayer'{{cite web |author=TV.com |url=http://www.tv.com/shows/survivor/clips/survivor-meet-the-veterans-of-survivor-south-pacific-10553976/ |title=Watch Survivor Online |publisher=TV.com |date=May 31, 2000 |access-date=April 26, 2013 }}{{Dead link|date=December 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} and one of two returning contestants (the other being Ozzy Lusth). During the season, Wade was assigned to the Upolu tribe through random draw, gaining the friendship of Edna Ma on the first day. On the first night, he made an alliance with Sophie Clarke, Rick Nelson, Albert Destrade, and Brandon Hantz, who later revealed to Wade that he was Russell Hantz's nephew. Wade decided to trust Brandon Hantz, but still was wary of his outbursts. Wade and his four alliance members eliminated Christine Shields-Markoski, Stacey Powell and Mikayla Wingle, sending them all to Redemption Island. At camp, Wade found the Hidden Immunity Idol with the help of Destrade and Clarke, keeping it a secret from Hantz and Ma. Later on, Wade staged the Idol's "discovery" for Hantz, under the guise of a prayer ritual. The tribes merged with six members each, prompting Wade to attempt to sway former Savaii member John Cochran over in order to avoid a tie. Wade's alliance, now including Cochran, voted off the remaining Savaiis. Both Cochran and Ma, knowing that they were on the outside of the alliance, tried to get Wade to betray his original alliance; however, he decided against it. He went on to vote off Cochran first, followed by Ma. Wade, Clarke and Destrade ended up in the Final Three, and Wade finished second place only to Clarke, who won in a 6–3–0 vote.

On May 28, 2025, it was confirmed that Wade would return for a fourth season of Survivor, joining the cast of Survivor 50: In The Hands Of The Fans.{{cite web |author=ew.com |url=https://ew.com/survivor-50-cast-contestants-revealed-11742493|title=Meet the cast of Survivor 50|publisher=EW.com |date=May 28, 2025|access-date=May 28, 2025 }}

Coach Wade was inducted to the Survivor Hall of Fame in 2015.{{Cite web|url=https://my.xfinity.com/ed/tv/2016/11/28/cast-vote-2016-survivor-hall-fame/|language=en-US|access-date=March 21, 2020 |title=Discovery Hub - News & Technology }} In September 2020, Coach Wade was ranked the "20th Greatest Survivor" by former castaway Russell Hantz.{{cite web |last1=Hantz |first1=Russell |title=The Top 100 Greatest Survivors: Episode 9 (#20-11) |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ne9JPA8X56E |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211215/ne9JPA8X56E |archive-date=December 15, 2021 |url-status=live|website=Youtube.com |date=September 2, 2020 |publisher=The Russell Hantz Show |access-date=September 4, 2020}}{{cbignore}}

Wade married Jessica Newton, a dance studio owner, on December 31, 2011.{{cite news|last1=Mossinger|first1=Teresa|title=Ed Susanville Show makes a splash|work=Lassen County Times|issue=16|publisher=Feather Publishing|date=January 31, 2012|volume=33|location=Susanville, CA|page=6A}} Together, they have two children, daughter Lenna (born May 8, 2014){{cite news|last1=Helling|first1=Steve|title=Benjamin 'Coach' Wade Welcomes Daughter Lenna Marie|url=http://celebritybabies.people.com/2014/05/08/survivor-coach-benjamin-wade-welcomes-daughter-lenna-marie/|access-date=February 1, 2018|work=People|publisher=Time, Inc.|date=May 8, 2014|archive-date=February 2, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180202130616/http://celebritybabies.people.com/2014/05/08/survivor-coach-benjamin-wade-welcomes-daughter-lenna-marie/|url-status=dead}} and Bekston (born October 13, 2016),{{cite news|author1=Staff|title=Business Scene for the week of 11/01/16|url=http://www.lassennews.com/business-scene-week-110116/|access-date=February 1, 2018|work=Lassen County Times|publisher=Feather Publishing|date=November 1, 2016|location=Susanville, CA}} and one more child from Newton's previous relationship, Avvan (born February 28, 2009).{{cite news|title=Births|work=Lassen County Times|issue=23|publisher=Feather Publishing|date=March 24, 2009|volume=30|location=Susanville, CA|page=8C}}

• No Turning Back: The South American Expedition of a Dragon Slayer; Shapato Publishing Co. (2011), {{ISBN|978-0983352679}}

{{reflist|30em}}

• [http://www.cbs.com/shows/survivor/cast/23301/ Benjamin Wade biography] for Survivor: Tocantins at CBS.com
• [http://susanvillesymphony.com/ Susanville Symphony]

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Category:1971 births

Category:21st-century American trumpeters

Category:American classical trumpeters

Category:American male classical musicians

Category:American male trumpeters

Category:American male conductors (music)

Category:American soccer coaches

Category:American women's soccer coaches

Category:College men's soccer coaches in the United States

Category:Kayakers

Category:Living people

Category:Mass media people from Knoxville, Tennessee

Category:People from Lassen County, California

Category:Southwest Baptist Bearcats women's soccer coaches

Category:Survivor (franchise) contestants

Category:University of Tennessee alumni

Category:21st-century American conductors (music)

Category:21st-century American male musicians

Category:Simpson Red Hawks women's soccer coaches

Category:University of Nevada alumni