Video links

• "Meet Coach" video at CBS.com
• Coach's pre-game interview with EW.com's Dalton Ross

• Benjamin 'Coach' Wade's official Survivor: South Pacific CBS.com bio
• Coach's official CBS bio pages for Survivor: Tocantins, Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains
• Coach Wade on facebook; Coach's twitter.

Collection of images from the pre-game and circa Ep1-era footage provided with the cast release videos:

Vidcap gallery: Click on thumbnails to expand; use arrow keys to navigate between large pics.

Excerpts from his official CBS Survivor: South Pacific bio page:

   "Benjamin Wade, more commonly known as 'Coach,' is returning to Survivor for a third try. 'The reception for me, when I step on that beach and am chosen to be on a tribe, I'm just going to kill 'em with kindness.' He still owns his eclectic persona that viewers love from previous seasons, but the symphony conductor, men's soccer coach and pastor promises that, 'Coach 3.0 is going to be different than any time you've seen him.'

    Coach believes that it is his experience and his leadership that make him an asset to his tribe, but he's reevaluating his strategy this time around. 'I've got to come out here and I've got to be confident but not arrogant, strong but not intimidating, I've got to be humble but not weak, I've got to be honorable but not self righteous.'

    What does he think of Ozzy, his competition? 'He is a great warrior in challenges, he's great at survival, he's going to be a tough competitor on the other tribe.'"

From pre-Heroes vs. Villains: "Hometown: Susanville, Calif.
Current Residence: Susanville, Calif.
Personal Claim To Fame: Holding the World's Record for 'Longest solo kayak trip 6,132 miles.'"
Inspiration in Life: 'Composing classical music for the Susanville Symphony.'"
Previous Finishes: Tocantins: 11th out, 5th jury member
Favorite Past Moment: 'My monastic approach to exile.'"
Previous Survivor He Respects Most: Tom Westman (Palau)
Previous Survivor He Respects Least: Jonny Fairplay (Pearl Islands, Micronesia)
Why Did He Come Back?: 'Redemption!'"

From pre-Tocantins: "Benjamin Wade is known by many names. As the head women's soccer coach at the Southwest Baptist University in Missouri, he is called 'Coach Wade,' but he also goes by 'Maestro' due to role as an artistic director and conductor of a California symphony orchestra. A skilled musician, Benjamin was traveling the world playing the trumpet before most kids could even spell 'trumpet.'

   Wade sees coaching as another form of manipulation. 'You have to find out what everybody wants, what everybody needs, what they think they want, what think they need and then you have to be the person that solves everything.' He knows these skills will be valuable in the game of Survivor.
    If Benjamin was asked to wear just one hat, it would be that of 'Renaissance Man.' Aside from setting the world record for the longest solo kayak expedition on the ocean (an amazing 6,132 miles), Wade has also been attacked by a tiger shark, stalked by a jaguar in the Amazon and has been bitten by a piranha on his right hand. To say that he is a Type A, Alpha male, who likes to control the environment around him may just be an understatement. Coach's dominant personality will be a force to be reckoned with in the game.
    Benjamin is single and currently splits his time in Bolivar, Mo, and Susanville, Calif. His birth date is September 18."