Ed Binkoski
- Name: Ed Binkoski
- Class: 2024
- School: Shamokin
Ed Binkoski graduated from Coal Township High School in 1950 where he played both basketball and football. In his senior year, he received an honorable mention on the Pennsylvania State All Star Football Squads. He earned an academic scholarship to the University of Pennsylvania and attended the Warton School of Business. At Penn, Binkoski played football under the legendary Coach George Munger as a blocking back on the single wing and shared punting duties. Penn at the time was playing a national schedule including Notre Dame, Georgia, Michigan, etc. He graduated in 1954 with a Bachelor of Science degree and as a United States Army Lieutenant from Penn's ROTC program and proudly served two years in the military after graduation.
In 1956 he accepted a position at Sunbury High School teaching American History and as an Assistant Football Coach for two years. He spent the next 3 years at Coal Township High School as both Head Basketball Coach and Assistant Football Coach and became the Head Football Coach in 1961. The Purple Demons were named Eastern Conference Southern Division Champions in both 1961 and 1964 under his leadership. Binkoski was Coal Township’s Head Football Coach from 1961-1964 and continued in the role of Head Coach for six more years at Shamokin Area High School following the jointure of Coal Township High School and Shamokin High School. He retired from coaching after the 1970 season to become the Assistant High School principal at Shamokin Area High School.
He announced Shamokin Area High School football games for the WISL radio station from 1971-1974 and had the unique opportunity to interview acclaimed writer James Michener when Michener was visiting the coal region researching for his book Sports in America. Binkoski also enjoyed officiating many high school football games throughout the 1970s and early 1980s. In 1990, after being away from coaching for 20 years, he served on Bob Chesney's staff at Lourdes Regional High School for three years as Assistant Coach.
In 1981, Coach Binkoski was inducted into the Bernie Romanoski Chapter of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame. He received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Eastern Conference in 1990. In 2018, he was inducted to the United States Marine Hall of Fame for his involvement in the American Rivalry Series (Shamokin vs. Mt. Carmel).
He has been married to his wife Nancy for 68 years and has three children: Sue, Amy, and Mark (deceased). Ed and Nancy also have two grandchildren (Mitchell and Matthew) and three great grandchildren (Brynn, Melody, and Marcus).
