Stepping up
He raised the bar on discipline and attitude in Rusk Eagle baseball but who is Coach George Banda?
BY LELAND ACKER

PHOTO: LELAND ACKER Rusk Head Baseball Coach George Banda discusses his coaching philosophy and background. His program stresses discipline and team unity.

Rusk Eagle baseball fans who attended the season opener last season against Elkhart noticed some changes. First, there was a new head baseball coach. Secondly, the Rusk Eagles were preparing their own field for the game.

"That's one of our disciplines," said George Banda, who is entering his second season as the head baseball coach at Rusk High School. "It promotes team unity and camaraderie. The sign doesn't say George Banda field, it says Rusk Eagle field. Our field is nicer than a lot of 5A fields. It's a situation they are proud of."

Discipline on the Eagle baseball team does not end with field maintenance.

"We're teaching them about life," he said. "It's like punching a clock when you have a job. You've got to show up early and punch that clock. If you show up late, you get canned."

Coach Banda also rewards the players for good performances. Varsity uniforms are nicer than junior varsity uniforms.

"I want it to be an honor to be on the varsity," he said. "When a student makes varsity, I want them to know they accomplished something."

Some might say Coach Banda runs his team like a minor league franchise. That approach to coaching may come from his background. He played for McLennan Community College in Waco, where his team was knocked out of the national title hunt two years in a row by two-run homers in the bottom of the ninth by San Jacinto College.

From McLennan, Coach

Banda went on to play for Hardin-Simmons University, and graduated from Mary Hardin-Baylor.

His coaching resume includes stints as an assistant at La Marque and Galveston Ball.

"In La Marque, football was their first forte," Coach Banda said. "We won district in baseball. Being around that type of environment was unreal."

After coaching a year in La Marque, he returned to school to earn a Master's degree. He was also married after leaving La Marque.

After earning a Master's degree and working eight years at a beverage distributor in Houston, Coach Banda decided to get back into coaching. He was hired by Galveston Ball High School as the first assistant baseball coach, football quarterbacks coach and freshmen football offensive coordinator. He said the district Galveston Ball competed in was a very tough district.

"We had guys playing at Stanford who only made second team all-district," he said. "We had players who pitched for the University of Houston who only got honorable mention in the all-district voting. That's how much talent was in that district."

After three years with Galveston Ball, Coach Banda was notified of a job opening in Rusk.

"Charlie Franklin asked me about Rusk, he asked if I had a problem going to a 3A district," he said. "I said, 'No, sir. No ego here, as long as it's a great situation.' Moving to Rusk has been good for my family. It's a good community. It's the best move I've made. If I could do it all over again, I would."

As for the 2008 baseball season, Coach Banda says the Eagles are right where they need to be.

"We're flying under the radar screen," he said. "They've played good summer and fall baseball. Last year was the first year they played fall baseball. We have two good assistant coaches in Kirk Rebuck and Jason Barnes. The kids are excited after what they've accomplished in fall baseball." The Eagles host Jacksonville tomorrow before playing in the Fairfield tournament this weekend.