OREE BANKS SPEAKS AT BSC

Weaving his experiences as a college football coach and as an NCAA Drug
Awareness Program presenter, Oree Banks delivered a "teamwork-theme"
message to an audience of Bluefield State College students, faculty, and
staff. Banks, a faculty member and former football coach at West Virginia
State College, was a featured speaker in BSC's African-American Heritage
Month Celebration.

"Athletics has made a great impact upon society," Banks told his audience
of 150. "Athletics is an outstanding example, in some instances, of what
can be accomplished by working together.

"Today, in race relations and in all walks of life, we move forward as a
people when we respect and love each other, making the commitment to work
together."

"I can recall the largest football crowd I'd ever seen at a football game
in the West Virginia Conference. It occurred during my first year as head
coach at West Virginia State," he continued. "We played Bluefield State,
and there was a unity in the stands because we were all part of a family."

That same attitude, he added, can spell success for anyone.

"Although much progress has been made, there are still many problems (in
the area of race relations)," Banks said. He utilized the acrostic
"TEAMWORK" to drive his message home, as follows, with his comments:

T-Teachers ("Who is more important than a teacher?")

E-Education ("Education is the best preventative measure for fighting drug
abuse and discrimination.")

A-Attitude ("Jackie Robinson was a tremendous role model, and he succeeded
because of his attitude and his determination.")

M-Motivation ("Individuals like Arthur Ashe and Jesse Owens were motivated
by their commitment to be the best.")

W-Winner ("Winners don't take shortcuts. Winning and attitude go hand in
hand.")

O-Outspoken ("Be willing to speak out against what you know is wrong. You
cannot remain silent in the face of discrimination.")

R-Rehabilitation ("I really like the word 'prevention,' because
'rehabilitation' means there is already a problem. Make good choices.")

K-Knowledge ("Knowledge is essential to deal with problems. One of the
wonderful aspects of Black History Month is that when we, as a people,
better understand our history, we are better equipped to deal with problems
that still exist.")

Banks, who served as an assistant on the staff of legendary Grambling
University football coach Eddie Robinson, later earned head coaching posts
at South Carolina State and at West Virginia State.

More than a dozen NFL stars, including Pittsburgh cornerback Donnie Shell
and New York Giants linebacker Harry Carson, were coached in college by
Banks. Noting that there are only four African-American head coaches in all
of NCAA Division I college football, Banks regularly contacts University
sports administrators and the NCAA, lobbying for increased opportunity for
black coaches.

He's a former member of the Board of Trustees of the American Football
Coaches Association, and he was selected as head coach in the first annual
Black All-Star East-West Football Classic in the Houston Astrodome.

Reflecting upon the insidious nature of drug abuse, Banks noted, "I lost my
brother to drugs.

He was 31. Drugs are at the root of most crimes today. That's why I have
visited hundreds of college campuses, talking to students and
student-athletes about why they should abstain from drugs and alcohol."

In closing, he encouraged his audience, returning to his "teamwork" theme.
"We have to work together, not separately. When we come together and
identify a problem, we have the power to correct it. That's the message I
want to stress today."

Banks, a faculty member and former football coach at West Virginia State
College, was a featured speaker in BSC's African-American Heritage Month
Celebration.

"Athletics has made a great impact upon society," Banks told his audience
of 150. "Athletics is an outstanding example, in some instances, of what
can be accomplished by working together.

"Today, in race relations and in all walks of life, we move forward as a
people when we respect and love each other, making the commitment to work
together."

"I can recall the largest football crowd I'd ever seen at a football game
in the West Virginia Conference. It occurred during my first year as head
coach at West Virginia State," he continued. "We played Bluefield State,
and there was a unity in the stands because we were all part of a family."

That same attitude, he added, can spell success for anyone.

"Although much progress has been made, there are still many problems (in
the area of race relations)," Banks said. He utilized the acrostic
"TEAMWORK" to drive his message home, as follows, with his comments:

T-Teachers ("Who is more important than a teacher?")

E-Education ("Education is the best preventative measure for fighting drug
abuse and discrimination.")

A-Attitude ("Jackie Robinson was a tremendous role model, and he succeeded
because of his attitude and his determination.")

M-Motivation ("Individuals like Arthur Ashe and Jesse Owens were motivated
by their commitment to be the best.")

W-Winner ("Winners don't take shortcuts. Winning and attitude go hand in
hand.")

O-Outspoken ("Be willing to speak out against what you know is wrong. You
cannot remain silent in the face of discrimination.")

R-Rehabilitation ("I really like the word 'prevention,' because
'rehabilitation' means there is already a problem. Make good choices.")

K-Knowledge ("Knowledge is essential to deal with problems. One of the
wonderful aspects of Black History Month is that when we, as a people,
better understand our history, we are better equipped to deal with problems
that still exist.")

Banks, who served as an assistant on the staff of legendary Grambling
University football coach Eddie Robinson, later earned head coaching posts
at South Carolina State and at West Virginia State.

More than a dozen NFL stars, including Pittsburgh cornerback Donnie Shell
and New York Giants linebacker Harry Carson, were coached in college by
Banks. Noting that there are only four African-American head coaches in all
of NCAA Division I college football, Banks regularly contacts University
sports administrators and the NCAA, lobbying for increased opportunity for
black coaches.

He's a former member of the Board of Trustees of the American Football
Coaches Association, and he was selected as head coach in the first annual
Black All-Star East-West Football Classic in the Houston Astrodome.

Reflecting upon the insidious nature of drug abuse, Banks noted, "I lost my
brother to drugs.

He was 31. Drugs are at the root of most crimes today. That's why I have
visited hundreds of college campuses, talking to students and
student-athletes about why they should abstain from drugs and alcohol."

In closing, he encouraged his audience, returning to his "teamwork" theme.
"We have to work together, not separately. When we come together and
identify a problem, we have the power to correct it. That's the message I
want to stress today."