Bryan Bendowski: Varsity Baseball Coach
In sports, the phrase “over .500” constitutes a winning record. In other words, the team has won more than 50 percent of its games that season.
But for Shipley’s Varsity Baseball team, it’s more than just games. They’re over .500 for Friends Schools League (FSL) Championships, tallying eight championships in the last 12 years.
“We Over Me”
The team’s “We Over Me” philosophy contributes significantly to its success. “I think our success comes down to a combination of people, culture, consistency, and the willingness to put the team first,” says Head Coach Bryan Bendowski, who has been at the helm of Shipley’s Baseball program since 2004.
“Talent alone doesn’t create sustained success,” explains Bendowski. “There is an expectation that when you put on the Shipley uniform, you represent something bigger than yourself.”
That’s what Shipley Baseball is about—embracing the idea that the team comes before the individual. That doesn’t mean individual goals aren’t important; Bendowski encourages players to set big goals for themselves while understanding that their individual success is most meaningful when it contributes to the team’s success. Whether it’s playing a different position or sacrificing an at-bat, his team knows “We Over Me” truly creates a team.
On Coaching
Bendowski, who fell in love with baseball at a young age by playing in the neighborhood, went on to play at East Stroudsburg University and has coached at nearly every level since.
But for him, it’s not just the passion for baseball or the competitiveness that motivates him. He values the process—setting team and individual goals and developing communication and leadership skills in addition to sharpening baseball skills.
“Some of the most fulfilling parts of coaching are watching personal growth, building team unity, helping players learn how to handle failure, controlling what you can control, and ultimately developing a lifelong love of the game,” says Bendowski. “Our players have developed a real appreciation for the process.”
Bendowski has chosen to stay at Shipley for over 20 years because of the relationships he’s built with student-athletes and families, and the support of the athletics department to make sure the team has everything it needs to succeed.
More Than a Baseball Player
Bendowski’s goal is for every player to leave the program better than when they arrived—not just as a baseball player, but as a teammate, leader, communicator, and person.
“If we can help players understand how to respond to adversity, communicate with others, accept responsibility, lead, and consistently put in the work to improve, then we’ve accomplished something much bigger than winning baseball games,” he says.
“The championships are obviously special—and we’re proud of them,” says Bendowski. “But the most rewarding part is seeing players come through the program, develop, become leaders, and then carry those lessons with them long after their baseball careers at Shipley are over.”
This profile was originally published in the 2026 Summer/Fall issue of Shipley Magazine.