Put it in the Bank-ins

Leonardtown graduate helps University of Richmond to national championship

Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2009

Click here to enlarge this photo Photo by RICHMOND ATHLETIC PUBLIC RELATIONS Charles Bankins, a 1990 Leonardtown High School graduate, finished his second season as running backs and special teams coach at the University of Richmond. E-Mail This Article | Print This Story

A lot of athletes that have been around a sport for pretty much their whole life not just play the sport, but they learn and master the inside of the game through performance. These are the athletes that often become influential figures to other athletes.

Let's reflect back on one of SMAC's most versatile athletes that competed in two different sports, one of those was his eventual life love.

Charles Bankins, a 1990 Leonardtown High School graduate, was a standout football and baseball player for the Raiders athletic program.

Bankins, an all-SMAC selection, played three positions on the gridiron, running back, quarterback and was a premier safety. On the baseball diamond, he was posed as a dominant third baseman and an intimidating pitcher.

The former Raider recalled during his final year of a baseball contest in which he went 2 for 2 with two home runs that he rocketed over the fence. But, Bankins' favorite high school moment of all time was a football game the Raiders lost.

"One time we played La Plata at home and I started quarterback in that game," said Bankins on his past experience. "I was able to rush for two touchdowns and throw for two touchdowns, so it was good to do that for my team."

Bankins has some major advice for SMAC athletes of today about balancing their approach from academics to the athletic field.

"Just understand that academics should be first and use your athletic ability to your advantage," Bankins said. "Don't put all your eggs in an athletic basket because you will always need something to fall back on in the future."

Bankins continued his football career after high school at James Madison University, in Division I-AA's Colonial Athletic Association. On a full scholarship, the Leonardtown alum took advantage of that, becoming an incredible student in the classroom and majored in communications with a minor in political science.

He graduated in the spring of 1994 and then received his master's degree from Eastern Kentucky University in sports administration in 1998.

"College was awesome, I just had the best times of my life," Bankins said. "With all the fraternities that you see in college, football was the fraternity for me and I made friends that I can stay in touch with for the rest of my life. Education was extremely important, because in life if I wanted to play ball I had to hit the books, if I wanted a job I had to hit the books and if I wanted a girlfriend, then I knew I had to hit the books, because they don't want a person that is dumb. So, everything I had was through grades."

From 2000 to 2006, Bankins started to guide young athletes on the collegiate football level and the NFL, working as an intern for the Green Bay Packers, and was a running backs coach at Hampton University.

In 2005, Bankins spent one season as the assistant special teams coach with the St. Louis Rams, under former Rams head coach Mike Martz.

Now, the former Duke grad has finished his second year as the running backs and special teams coach with the Richmond Spiders, who recently became the 2008 Division I-AA national champions, defeating Montana 24-7 on Dec. 19.

I've just been fortunate by the Lord to be in great situations," added Bankins, who has been thankful of his opportunities. "My grandmother [the late Barbara Bankins] always instilled in me to be the best that I could be in life."

Last season, Bankins mentored one of the nation's leading running backs, Tim Hightower, to four All-American awards a fifth round draft selection by the Arizona Cardinals.

Hightower is the Spiders' all-time leading rusher and will play in Super Bowl XLIII on Feb. 1 in Tampa. Fla.

"All of the backs that I've coached just had the God given abilities, "Bankins replied. "I was able to hold them accountable of improving. I always told them that when much is given, much is expected."

Bankins, 36, resides in Richmond, Va., with his wife Katrina and his 1 1/2-year-old daughter Ashley, and enjoys reading, fishing and going to church.

"The main thing is making sure that my family is happy and healthy everyday, I would like to become a head coach someday," he said on his life long goals. "I want to guide young men to do great things become inspirations to many African-American men, but I have to continue what the Lord tells me to do."

The Spiders rushing attack is one of the most feared in the nation under Bankins, and are ranked among the top of the CAA today.

ajmason@somdnews.com