cbanks1972

God, Family, and Football

God, Family, and Football

Growing up in rural Iowa in the 70’s and 80’s, I was accustomed to spending quality time with my family, friends, and locals in the community.  There have been so many trials and tribulations pertaining to my faith over the years that have helped shape the man I am today.  Looking back three facets in my life helped shape who I would become; faith, family, and football.  I would have never dreamed that these three aspects would drive me towards helping others in and out of the classroom.  Though not the entire reason, my undying love for a game where the term team becomes the main component in the development of success brought me into the classroom to help shape the next generation of American citizens. 

I have so many valuable memories from the gridiron growing up that would help shape the player/athlete, coach, man, husband, and father that I would become much later in life.  The drive to be on time, do the work, push yourself beyond your comfort level, and to believe in something much greater than you were are a few of the life lessons that I took as a young student athlete.  If you come to practice with an open mind, are prepared for the day, and give just a little bit more than you thought was possible, then and only then are you truly prepared for what life will present to you later in life. 

I was a normal kid growing up in the 70’s and 80’s.  Each morning as I awoke during the summer, I would head into town and spend the day with my childhood friends.  We spent a great deal of time playing baseball pickup games, hitting rocks with wiffleball bats, and playing made up games where the rules constantly changed.  Life was so simple back then with not a care in the world as so much in our world seemed to be spiraling out of control.  The thing that I miss the most during this time in my life is spending the afternoons with my grandparents in Mystic, Iowa and getting to spend time with my parents.  They instilled in me the adage that I could do anything in my life, given that I put in the time, effort, and drive to accomplish my dream.  I had so many dreams that I had no clue where this valuable insight would take me later in life.

Next season will be the first time in my last twenty years I will not be coaching on Friday night.  I have retired from this aspect of my life, not because of my loss of love for football, but of my undying devotion and love for my family.  I will be in the stands as a father watching my youngest daughter Katarina cheering to the fans.  I will call this next chapter not a closing of coaching football, but merely a break and a calming time to spend with my family. 

     Football has taught me how to love again, patience, persistence, and the change from old school to new school in regards to my coaching philosophy.  I have always had the ability to take someone past their comfort zone in order to achieve more than they ever thought possible, and for this I am truly thankful.

     God truly works in amazing ways.  God has again allowed me to garner a more personal relationship with my wife, children, grandchild, friends, and colleagues again.  I feel more alive than at any point in my life.  I am thankful for Christ never giving up on me.

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Published by cbanks1972

## Charles “Chuck” Banks ### Founder and Voice of Coaching Culture in Athletics Radio Broadcast Network Charles “Chuck” Banks—known to many throughout the tri-state sports community as Coach Banks or “Chuck the Tank”—is the founder and lead broadcaster of the Coaching Culture in Athletics Radio Broadcast Network. Built from more than two decades of coaching, teaching, leadership, and relationship-building, the network is dedicated to telling the stories of the coaches, athletes, schools, and communities that make local sports special. A native of rural Iowa, Banks has spent 20 years in education and more than 25 years coaching football. He earned his bachelor’s degree in History and Secondary Education from Graceland University in 2004 before completing a master’s degree in Secondary Education and Educational Administration and a specialist degree in Educational Leadership. Throughout his coaching career, Banks worked with programs across southeastern Iowa. His stops included Centerville, Central Lee, and Fort Madison, along with seven years coaching girls basketball and additional experience in junior-high track. At Central Lee, Banks served as an assistant defensive coach and activities director before becoming the Hawks’ head football coach from 2020 through 2022. Central Lee reached the playoffs during his final season. He was also part of multiple playoff teams and a district championship during his time with the program. At Centerville, Banks spent nine years as an assistant and helped the Big Reds capture a district championship and earn multiple playoff appearances. Most recently, he coached at Fort Madison under Head Coach Derek Doherty, helping develop younger players within the Bloodhound football program. Banks’ defensive coaching journey evolved from the traditional 5-2 defense to the 3-3-5 before he found his preferred home in the 4-2-5. However, his coaching philosophy has never been limited to schemes, formations, wins, or losses. He believes the greatest responsibility of a coach is to build relationships, develop leaders, create belonging, and prepare young people for life beyond the playing field. That belief became the foundation for Coaching Culture in Athletics. What began as an effort to create meaningful conversations about coaching and leadership grew into a full sports-media and broadcasting network. Coaching Culture in Athletics now serves as the umbrella for Dog Pound Radio, The Coach Show, the Dog House Tour, Dog Pound U, Hound Talk, the Dog House Saturday Morning Blitz, live game broadcasts, team previews, rankings, interviews, historical features, and year-round coverage of local athletics. Through the Dog House Tour, Banks visits practices, meets coaching staffs, interviews athletes, studies programs, and gives local teams the type of detailed coverage normally reserved for much larger schools. The network’s reach extends throughout southeastern Iowa, western Illinois, and northeastern Missouri, connecting communities across the tri-state region. Banks has covered and developed relationships with programs including Fort Madison, Central Lee, Centerville, West Burlington–Notre Dame, Mount Pleasant, Macomb, West Hancock, and Brown County. His work highlights more than star players and final scores. It recognizes assistant coaches, linemen, managers, scout-team players, school traditions, historic stadiums, longtime community supporters, and the people working behind the scenes. The Coach Show allows Banks to sit down with coaches from the high-school and college levels for honest conversations about leadership, program development, adversity, family, faith, and the profession of coaching. His interviews are guided by experience rather than observation alone. He understands the pressure of leading a program, the hours spent preparing, the sacrifices made by coaching families, and the responsibility that comes with mentoring young people. Dog Pound Radio brings a more energetic edge to the network. Inspired by Banks’ love for football and his beagles, Leo and Loki, Dog Pound Radio combines local sports reporting with the unmistakable “Dawg Mentality”—toughness, loyalty, preparation, perseverance, and love for the team. Loki continues to serve as a central part of the brand, while the memory of Leo remains woven into its heart. Banks’ journey has also been shaped by significant personal adversity. After suffering multiple strokes, undergoing heart surgery, and facing additional serious health concerns, he stepped away from coaching and entered what he describes as medical retirement from the sideline. He also speaks openly about depression, adult ADHD, recovery, and the importance of faith, family, purpose, and mental health. Although his health changed the way he could serve, it did not take away his calling. Broadcasting became a new sideline. Through Coaching Culture in Athletics, Banks found another way to teach, coach, encourage, and advocate. His experiences have given his work a deeper sense of urgency: appreciate the people around you, tell their stories while you can, recognize the unseen contributors, and never underestimate the impact a coach can have on a young person’s life. Faith and family remain at the center of Banks’ life. He and his wife, Stephanie, have built a life rooted in southeastern Iowa and are the proud parents of Chelsey, Peyton, and Katarina. Their growing family includes son-in-law Donald Archambault and grandchildren Orion, Owen, and Ollie. Banks often credits his family for standing beside him through the demanding seasons of coaching, education, broadcasting, illness, and recovery. Today, Chuck Banks brings together the perspective of a coach, educator, broadcaster, historian, husband, father, grandfather, and survivor. His voice is passionate, direct, knowledgeable, and deeply connected to the communities he covers. The mission of the Coaching Culture in Athletics Radio Broadcast Network is simple: promote the positive impact of athletics, strengthen coaching culture, celebrate local communities, preserve sports history, and provide athletes and coaches with a platform where their work matters. This is more than a radio network. It is a celebration of coaches, culture, athletes, families, and communities. It is local sports coverage built on relationships. It is where coaches, culture, and communities connect. It is Coaching Culture in Athletics.

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