William Augustus Banks will forever be known as one of the greatest triple jumpers to ever compete in track and field.  Once dubbed the “United States Ambassador” of the sport by “Time Magazine”, Banks will long be remembered as one of the most entertaining and engaging track athletes in U.S. history.  He began his leap into history as a two-time state triple jump winner while representing the Pirates at Oceanside High School. Eleven years after graduating OHS, Banks set a world triple jump record in June 1985, leaping 58 feet, 11-1/2 inches, a mark which stood unchallenged for 10 years.  During that record-setting year, he was recognized as the Jessie Owens Most Outstanding American Track and Field Athlete and named Sportsman of the Year by the U.S. Olympic Committee.  In rewriting the record books, he became the first American since 1912 to hold this prestigious record. A three-time Olympian (1980, 1984, 1988), and two-time member of the World Championship teams (1983, 1987), Banks was inducted into the USA Track and Field Hall of Fame in 1999.  He currently serves as president of the U.S. Olympians Association.  His numerous accomplishments transcend the athletic arena. Banks obtained his B.A. in Political Science in 1978 at UCLA, and five years later added a law degree from the Westwood campus.  On the public speaking circuit, Banks is regularly sought after by numerous Fortune 500 companies as a model of inspiration.  It has been said that engaging Willie Banks is truly “an investment in success.”

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