Andrew Bencze ‘89, Athletic Director

faculty profile:

Andrew Bencze ‘89

Mr. Andrew Bencze moved to the Los Angeles area just before entering junior high where he attended St. Dominic’s in Eagle Rock. He then went on to attend Providence High School where he played basketball for four years, graduating in 1989. He earned his B.A. in History from California State University Northridge and M.A. in European Intellectual and Cultural History at the University of London. It was during his time at CSUN that he began working at Providence High School as a coach and became heavily involved in the Kairos Retreat program. He was hired as the first of many alumni to come back and teach at his alma mater by longtime principal Sr. Lucille Dean, SP.

Mr. Bencze has taught many classes at Providence across a range of subjects, including Freshman English, Physical Education and World History. In 1999 his high school coach, mentor, and friend, Athletic Director Paul Sutton, passed away after a long battle with cancer and he assumed the role of Athletic Director, a position he still holds today.

Mr. Bencze is married to Joanna Bencze, who coaches the cheer team at Providence, and has two daughters, Samantha and Madison, who are as much at home at Providence as they are in their own home.

how long hAve you coAched At Phs? Prior to Phs, did you coAch elsewhere?

I’ve been coaching at PHS since 1990 when I started as the boys’ junior varsity basketball coach. I was also the assistant coach for the women’s program at Occidental College in Eagle Rock in the 90’s for a four year period. The head coach at that time was Jeff Campbell who is now the head coach for Cal State Northridge’s men’s volleyball team.

you Are A Product of Phs. whAt does it meAn to you to Be coAching At your AlmA mAter?

It means I am home. Providence was a great place for me to grow up. I was an important part of a community that cared about me, and now I get to create that same sense of family at Providence and with the teams that I coach.

your Predecessor, PAul sutton, wAs A mentor to you. whAt did you leArn from working with him?

Coach Sutton taught me about the work you need to put into anything that you do. Although hard work leads to success, it does not guarantee it. You can put in all the hard work and not reach your goals, but it does not take away the value of the work you put in if you fail. Putting in the work with no guarantee of success is the most valuable part of the process.

why coAch girls’ vArsity BAsketBAll, As oPPosed to coAching Boys or Another sPort Altogether?

When I first started at Providence, I assisted with boys’ junior varsity basketball and boys’ varsity volleyball. At that time girls’ sports were not yet what they are today, and I saw that I could have a great impact with the program. When the job opened up in 1995, I jumped at the chance to advance the program. I started coaching three varsity sports: girls’ volleyball, girls’ basketball, and boys’ volleyball. When I was lucky enough to marry my wife Joanna, I decided that I was going to make my marriage a full time commitment and I dropped girls’ and boys’ volleyball. Girls’ basketball was the team I loved to coach the most.

As the coAch of young women, And the fAther of two young dAughters, whAt messAge do you hoPe to sPreAd to young girls who wAnt to PlAy sPorts And Achieve the sAme success As their mAle counterPArts?

I can still remember the very first time I met with the girls’ varsity basketball team and I said to them, you are not girls’ basketball players to me, you are athletes, and I’ll be just as challenging and have the same expectations I would of any athlete I coached. Years later one of the players on that team told me that’s what sold her on me as a coach.

you recently celeBrAted your 400th cAreer win. congrAtulAtions! did this PArticulAr win meAn more to you thAn Any other win in the PAst?

I have been very lucky to have had great players that have made me a better coach. The number is meaningful to me because it represents the efforts of so many individuals and teams who gave so much of themselves to their team and the school. That particular win was great because it was senior night and also clinched our seventh straight Liberty League Championship.

the girls’ vArsity BAsketBAll teAm wAs nAmed liBerty leAgue chAmPions for the seventh yeAr in A row. you hAve guided the girls to 13 totAl chAmPionshiPs throughout your cAreer. how hAve you mAnAged to keeP the momentum going?

I think it has a lot to do with the athletes and their family’s willingness to give so much of themselves to the program. We end up spending a lot of time together throughout the year and the bond the group forms is a big part of why we are able to be so successful. If there is one thing I’ve learned as a coach it is to take on the task of being a lifelong learner, so every year each team is unique and although a lot of the core things that we do stay the same, we are always adding new experiences, new strategies and techniques and finding a way to challenge the athletes and keep it fresh. The most important thing I am doing is teaching the team to work together, while teaching each individual to become the best person they can be. The success is just a product of the family unit helping each other become better and better at whatever we are doing.

As Phs Athletic director, how do you see the dePArtment evolving? whAt sPorts would you like to see Phs offer in the future?

I think a lot has changed in the many years since I first took over for Paul Sutton. The biggest change has been the expansion of sports programs to more and more year-round competition. While it has certainly raised the level of competition, it has also made it harder to continue our history of many multi-sport athletes. Next year, we’ll be fielding an equestrian team and tennis is on the horizon for us as well.

whAt hAs Been your Biggest success As A coAch And Athletic director thus fAr? Biggest chAllenge?

My biggest success has been maintaining the integrity of our athletic programs. This is a time where many schools are willing to skirt the rules in order to create a successful program. We’ve always done things the right way and have been successful doing it. The biggest challenge is staying successful while maintaining our integrity. It is not easy but we feel like we are providing a model for the kids we are entrusted to teach.