The Independent Rowing News

David Banks
Age: 26
Crew: U.S. National Team
Coach: Kris Korzeniowski
Accomplishments: fifth, men's pair, 2009 world championships; ninth, men's four, Beijing Olympics, USRowing's 2009 Male Athlete of the Year

THE REAL THING
Banks, a two-time U.S. national team member ended a strong first season in the man's pair with partner Charlie Cole by finishing fifth at the 2009 world championships in Poland. Earlier in the summer the Stanford University graduate and his partner won bronze at the Lucerne World Cup and finished seventh at the World Cup stop in Banyoles, Spain. The tandem put up even stronger results domestically, winning the 2009 worlds trials, both USRowing national selection regattas, and the 2009 USRowing national championships. Banks was honored to be selected for USRowing's Male Athlete of the Year for 2009 by national team members and coaches, but adds, "It would be nice to get some meadals instead of awards. I'll use it as motivation to get better."

THE RACE PLAN
Originally from Potomac, Md., Banks has been training in Princeton since he graduated from Stanford in 2006. With an undergraduate degree in urban studies and a graduate program in construction management, he's on a two-year, part-time internship at Princeton University, working with the purchasing department on a sustainability initiative. Banks has also worked with outreach programs to help increase diversity in rowing. "I think everybody on the team should play a part in trying to grow the sport and I personally want to do that as well," says Banks. "It comes down to exposure and giving kids the opportunity."

WHAT HE SAYS
"When I first told my family that I started rowing they said, 'OK that's cool, make sure you keep your grades up,'" says Banks. "But as you go through, people see you're devoted to it, and it means something to you. I think our sport builds character and discipline and good qualitites in young people." It also brings out an athlete's competitive instinct. Despite the strong season, Banks is far from satisfied with fifth place at worlds. "We're a young boat, we're still learning a lot, and all these factors add up," Banks says. "We were definitely disappointed and looking for a better result. We've got to keep moving, keep going forward, keep getting better. That's where the focus is right now."

WHAT THEY SAY
"David is a man of few words," says Stanford Director of Rowing and men's head coach Craig Amerkhanian. "What he does is he addresses the required workout for the day, and brings his very best to each stroke." Amerkhanian said Banks came to rowing as a scrawny basketball player who had no idea what the erg was. By his senior year, Banks had started to excel in his new sport and considered trying out for the national team. It's also worth noting that he went to Stanford as a non-recruited athlete, as one of America's top students. "David's the consummate scholar-athlete," says Amerkhanian. "He's the epitome of rowing in America. He's a good athlete who was introduced to the sport at 18 and embraced it because he enjoys the work. The more David Banks we have, the more chances we have for medals at the London Olympics."