Terry Morrow: Knoxville's Ben Wade (aka Coach) inches closer to 'Survivor: South Pacific' prize

Photo by MONTY BRINTON, ©2008 CBS BROADCASTING INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Benjamin "Coach" Wade of Knoxville is coming closer to that $1 million prize on "Survivor: South Pacific."

Photo by MONTY BRINTON

Benjamin "Coach" Wade of Knoxville is coming closer to that $1 million prize on "Survivor: South Pacific."

Playing "Survivor" two previous times has been an advantage for Knoxville native Ben Wade.

"I figured (in the beginning) the tribe would use me (to build) a shelter, to find food, to do all that sort of thing," the 40-year-old University of Tennessee graduate said. "I figured if I was going to stick around I needed to be real sharp."

He spent a week with a special forces expert, who taught him how to survive in the wild. The lessons paid off for Wade, known to fans simply as "Coach."His tribe not only kept him around this time around, they also gave him respect.

Heading into the semi-finals (8 p.m. today, WVLT, Channel 8; the finale is 8 p.m. Sunday), Wade is in a position to make the final three on the hit reality competition. If he goes all the way, he'll be the second Knoxville native to win the show's $1 million prize. (Former Knoxville resident Tina Wesson was the first, earning her pay in the show's second season.)

"For myself, I am really driven to succeed," he said. "If you don't have that drive, you become stagnate, and you die. It's easy to be 40 and be reflect. I don't want my next 40 years to be me coasting."

He insisted he has never been into playing "Survivor" for the money. "For me, it has always been about the adventure," Wade said.

Going into the show tonight, Wade is one of six contestants left. He managed a fifth-place finish when he played the game in 2009 and a ninth-place one in 2010. Both times he has been part of the show's all-important jury that determines the ultimate winner.

During this outing, Wade hasn't been as outlandish or vilified as he was the other times. However, he has had his moments of double dealings.

When fellow tribemates Cochran and Edna asked for Wade's help in staying in the game, he seemed receptive and even agreeable. But he ultimately stuck with another alliance and supported their plan to vote off Cochran and Edna.

Still, Wade said he cares for the people of the game in a way that almost consumes him. "These people are so important to me. It's who it wake up thinking about and who I go to bed thinking about," he said.

Terry Morrow may be reached at 865-342-6445 or morrowt@knoxville.com.

© 2011, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
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