Coach (Survivor contestant)

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|

American reality television personality

Coach

Wade in 2010

Born|

Benjamin Wade

(1971-09-18) September 18, 1971 (age 53)

Knoxville, Tennessee, U.S.

Television| Survivor: Tocantins
Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains
Survivor: South Pacific
(runner-up)
Survivor 50: In The Hands Of The Fans
Spouse|

Jessica Newton

(m. 2011)​

Children| 3

Benjamin "Coach" Wade (born September 18, 1971)[1][2] is an American reality television personality best known for being a contestant on Survivor: Tocantins, Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains, Survivor: South Pacific and Survivor 50: In The Hands Of The Fans. He grew up in Knoxville, Tennessee, and later moved to Susanville, California, to conduct the Susanville Symphony[3] and pursue "adventures" in Hollywood.[4]

## Early life

[edit]

Benjamin Wade grew up in Knoxville, Tennessee, the son of William and Cherri Wade.[5] He attended Tyson Middle School and West High School in Knoxville.[6] 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.[3] 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.[7][8]

## Soccer

[edit]

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.[9][10] He spent 22 years coaching collegiate soccer teams and ended up at Southwest Baptist University in Bolivar, Missouri from 2005 to 2009.[11][12] After his appearance on Survivor, Wade was fired as head women's soccer coach for the university.[4][13] 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.[4] In 2010, he signed a contract to coach the men's soccer team at Lassen College, a community college located in Susanville.[14] 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.[15] In 2017, Wade came out of retirement, taking the position of head coach for Redding Royals FC semi-pro soccer team. [16]

### Lassen College Women's Soccer

[edit]

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.[17]

## Music

[edit]

Ben Wade conducting symphony orchestra

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.[3] In 2011, his ballet The Four Elements premiered.[18] A documentary featuring the accomplishments of this organization is chronicled in Small Town Big Symphony, filmed by his brother Peter in 2006.[19] Wade was also a teacher of music history at Lassen College.[20]

## Survivor

[edit]

### Tocantins

[edit]

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,[21] 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".[22] 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.[23] 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.[24]

### Heroes vs. Villains

[edit]

For the 20th season of the series, CBS brought back "heroes" and "villains" from previous seasons.[22] 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.

### South Pacific

[edit]

In 2011, Wade returned to Survivor for the third time in Survivor: South Pacific, as the self-styled 'Zen Slayer'[25] 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.

### In The Hands Of The Fans

[edit]

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.[26]

### Post-Survivor

[edit]

Coach Wade was inducted to the Survivor Hall of Fame in 2015.[27] In September 2020, Coach Wade was ranked the "20th Greatest Survivor" by former castaway Russell Hantz.[28]

## Personal life

[edit]

Wade married Jessica Newton, a dance studio owner, on December 31, 2011.[29] Together, they have two children, daughter Lenna (born May 8, 2014)[30] and Bekston (born October 13, 2016),[31] and one more child from Newton's previous relationship, Avvan (born February 28, 2009).[30][32]

## Filmography

[edit]

### Television

[edit]

Year  | Title  | Role  | Notes

|
|
|

2009  | Survivor: Tocantins | Contestant  | Eliminated; 5th place
2010  | Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains | Contestant  | Eliminated; 12th place
2011  | Survivor: South Pacific | Contestant  | Runner-up
2026  | Survivor 50: In the Hands of Fans | Contestant  |

## Bibliography

[edit]

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

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Benjamin: Survivor on CBS". CBS Interactive. 2010. Archived from the original on February 27, 2009. Retrieved February 16, 2010.
2. ^ "Coach: Survivor on CBS". CBS Interactive. 2010. Archived from the original on January 10, 2010. Retrieved April 5, 2010.
3. ^ a b c "The Maestro". The Susanville Symphony. Archived from the original on August 5, 2015. Retrieved May 23, 2015.
4. ^ a b c Bracchitta, John (February 19, 2009). "'Survivor: Tocantins' castaway Benjamin Wade fired from coaching job". Retrieved April 18, 2010.
5. ^ "Ben and Jessica Wade Welcome Lenna Marie Newton Wade". Susanville Stuff. Couso Technology & Design. May 15, 2014. Retrieved February 1, 2018. "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..."
6. ^ Hammonds, Jana (1986). Westerner, Volume XXXV. Taylor Publishing Company. p. 167.
7. ^ Williams, Alan (February 12, 2010). "SURVIVOR: Knoxville-native "Coach" talks game plan with Volunteer TV News at 11". Archived from the original on February 15, 2010. Retrieved February 16, 2010.
8. ^ "Coach Wade". Redding Royals FC. Archived from the original on April 6, 2019. Retrieved April 6, 2019.
9. ^ Holmes, T. J. "'Survivor' TV star Ben Wade coaching soccer in Redding". Record Searchlight. Retrieved January 23, 2025.
10. ^ Peterson, Paula (December 12, 2013). "Soccer Coaches Hired for Lake Tahoe Community College". South Tahoe Now. Retrieved January 23, 2025.
11. ^ "TRANSACTIONS". Archived from the original on November 4, 2013. Retrieved January 23, 2025.
12. ^ West, Sarah (January 16, 2009). "Benjamin Wade of Bolivar in CBS' Survivor". Bolivar Herald-Free Press. Retrieved May 12, 2010.
13. ^ Andy Dehnart (February 19, 2009). "Benjamin Wade fired as college soccer coach". Retrieved February 16, 2010.
14. ^ "Ben Wade to coach Lassen College men's soccer team", Lassen County Times, May 4, 2010.
15. ^ Gentile, Anthony (November 20, 2015). "Wade leaves Lake Tahoe CC men's program, retires from coaching soccer". Tahoe Daily Tribune. Swift Communications, Inc. Retrieved December 3, 2015.
16. ^ "Area Roundup: Redding Royals FC enter season with new coach".
17. ^ "Jaggard helps lead Lassen College". www.recordcourier.com. Retrieved January 20, 2025.
18. ^ "The Susanville Symphony".
19. ^ "Documentary Channel". Documentary Channel. Internet Archive. Archived from the original on September 10, 2012. Retrieved April 2, 2017.
20. ^ Block, Brendan (February 10, 2010). "'Coach' gets second chance". The Omnibus. Archived from the original on April 16, 2010. Retrieved April 19, 2010.
21. ^ "Exclusive Interview: Coach Benjamin Wade, from 'Survivor: Tocantins'". May 15, 2009. Retrieved February 16, 2010.
22. ^ a b "'Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains' cast revealed". Associated Press. January 11, 2010. Retrieved February 16, 2010.
23. ^ Schulz, Chris (July 8, 2009). "Survivor's Coach slams critics". Retrieved February 16, 2010.
24. ^ Andy Dehnart (April 28, 2009). "Benjamin 'Coach' Wade's lies: kayak record, other claims disputed". reality blurred.
25. ^ TV.com (May 31, 2000). "Watch Survivor Online". TV.com. Retrieved April 26, 2013.[permanent dead link]
26. ^ ew.com (May 28, 2025). "Meet the cast of Survivor 50". EW.com. Retrieved May 28, 2025.
27. ^ "Discovery Hub - News & Technology". Retrieved March 21, 2020.
28. ^ Hantz, Russell (September 2, 2020). "The Top 100 Greatest Survivors: Episode 9 (#20-11)". Youtube.com. The Russell Hantz Show. Archived from the original on December 15, 2021. Retrieved September 4, 2020.
29. ^ Mossinger, Teresa (January 31, 2012). "Ed Susanville Show makes a splash". Lassen County Times. Vol. 33, no. 16\. Susanville, CA: Feather Publishing. p. 6A.
30. ^ a b Helling, Steve (May 8, 2014). "Benjamin 'Coach' Wade Welcomes Daughter Lenna Marie". People. Time, Inc. Archived from the original on February 2, 2018. Retrieved February 1, 2018.
31. ^ Staff (November 1, 2016). "Business Scene for the week of 11/01/16". Lassen County Times. Susanville, CA: Feather Publishing. Retrieved February 1, 2018.
32. ^ "Births". Lassen County Times. Vol. 30, no. 23\. Susanville, CA: Feather Publishing. March 24, 2009. p. 8C.

## External links

[edit]

* Benjamin Wade biography for Survivor: Tocantins at CBS.com
* Susanville Symphony

Preceded by

Phillip Sheppard

|  Runner-Up of Survivor
Survivor: South Pacific | Succeeded by

Sabrina Thompson

|
|

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|

Multiple
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* Brad Culpepper
* Cirie Fields
* Benjamin "Coach" Wade
* Colby Donaldson
* Eliza Orlins
* Gervase Peterson
* Jeff Varner
* Jerri Manthey
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* Jonny Fairplay
* Michael Skupin
* Mike White
* Ozzy Lusth
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* Russell Hantz
* Stephen Fishbach
* Sue Hawk
* Jessica "Sugar" Kiper
* Terry Deitz
* Troy "Troyzan" Robertson
* Yau-Man Chan

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