2008 Woodie Awards
Men's Soccer: Chris Banks is back!
Shawn Cyr
Issue date: 10/3/08 Section: Sports
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Chris Banks, forward for the UNH men's soccer team, can be added to that list and has come back stronger than ever. Through eight games this season Banks leads the team with five goals and is tied for the lead with senior Kyle Urso with 10 points.
Banks, en route to becoming the 2006 America East Striker and Rookie of the Year, tallied 28 total points with 14 goals before offseason knee surgery put the sparkling young rookie's collegiate career in jeopardy. The surgery was done to repair damaged cartilage in his knee due to the wear and tear over the years and put him on crutches for six weeks.
Banks said he definitely worried if he would be able to fulfill the incredible potential he showed in his rookie campaign. Although limited to six games last year and slowed by nagging injuries, he said he trained harder than ever to prepare for a comeback this season.
"You see players all the time going out and never coming back to the same player that they were," he said. "It was really a fresh start this year and I wanted to prove to myself and everyone else that I can still play and score at a high level."
The 6-foot, 1-inch junior is a presence to be reckoned with on the pitch, but he doesn't just rely on his size and speed to outplay defenders.
"I think one of my strengths is just hunting down the ball and attacking it, wanting to score," Banks said. "You won't see that many forwards having the ability to be in the right place at the right time to hunt down the ball and get it."
Growing up in Westborough, Mass., Banks said his biggest inspiration was his older brother Casey who also played collegiate soccer at Keene State College. Choosing to come to UNH, the school attended by his mother and sister, was a decision made by him and his family because it was a "good fit."
"Only coach Rob [Thompson] realistically said 'if something happens and you don't end up playing soccer, you're going to want to be at a school you enjoy,'" he said.
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