Providence High has served as a central part of Andrew Bencze’s life.

Bencze graduated from Providence in 1989 and returned to his alma mater, devoting more than three decades of his life to the school as a player, coach, athletic director and teacher.

As much as Bencze wanted to continue his tenure at the school, apparently Providence no longer wanted him.

Bencze was informed recently by the school that his contract would not be renewed past the 2019-20 school year, and his services would no longer be needed.

The decision left Bencze bewildered and crushed.

“I’m disappointed that I cannot return to Providence and I will not be able to retire a Pioneer,” he said. “I’m heartbroken, but I need to move forward and find a new community to call home.”

Providence’s coach Andrew Bencze on the sideline during the game. (File Photo)

In an email, Providence Head of School Scott McLarty didn’t go into details about the reason behind not renewing Bencze’s contract, but did provide a brief statement: “Out of respect for all of our employees we do not comment on personnel matters. We thank Andrew for his many years of service to Providence High School and wish him all the best in his new endeavors.

“We also discourage speculation in these matters to prevent unintentional harm to those involved.”

Not wanting to speak ill of or to trash Providence, Bencze said he would rather not go into details about the school’s decision or speculate on the motives behind the move.

“The bottom line is that I still love Providence,” Bencze said. “I love the community. I have these great colleagues that I have grown up with and we’ve all grown up together, pushing each other and helping each other. So, there is a family there that I’m sad to be leaving.

“I still think it’s a great school and there are some very good people at that school. It’s a wonderful place to grow up, and I really believe that.”

Bencze, who has taught a variety of subjects at Providence, has been a coaching institution at the school, starting his varsity tenure in 1992 as the Pioneers’ boys’ volleyball coach. Over 28 seasons (he took one year off to study abroad), Bencze would win league championships in three sports: girls’ basketball, girls’ volleyball and boys’ volleyball.

In the 2000 season, Bencze earned a rare and impressive trifecta, as all three of the teams he coached captured Liberty League titles.

In all, Bencze won 13 league championships in girls’ basketball and three each in boys’ and girls’ volleyball.

Known for his signature tenacious and often suffocating defense, Bencze enjoyed the most success in girls’ basketball. Along with the 13 league titles, he compiled a 474-198 record and the Pioneers reached the CIF Southern Section playoff semifinals three times, in 2017 in Division IV-A and in 2013 and 2011 in Division IV-AA. Also in 2011, the Pioneers reached the Southern California Regional semifinals of the state playoffs.

Of the 72 league titles won in the history of Providence sports, Bencze has won 19.

“The nice thing being able to be at one place for so long is that you create this kind of community,” Bencze said. “All of these kids who I’ve been able to coach have been centered at Providence and I’ve been lucky that many of them have come back.

“The bottom line is that I started off in education because I love teaching, and for me, coaching is the best classroom you could ever be in. You have kids who are dying to be there. The nice thing is to be able to see that affect that you can have on these kids. And they come back and they tell me. What I really cherish is being able to have an affect on their lives ...That’s very humbling.”

Many in the coaching community who know and have associated with Bencze voiced their shock and disbelief in hearing the news of his ouster. They were also perplexed and couldn’t fathom the reason for the school to make such a decision.

“Since I’ve come to know Andrew, he has been just an awesome, awesome person and he has a big heart, and that’s in addition to his ability as a coach,” said Burroughs girls’ basketball coach Vicky Oganyan, who has coached against Bencze in high school and alongside him on the club level. “He has been able to accomplish so much as a coach, [athletic director] and a teacher at that school.

“He has done so much for that school over the years. Andrew is Providence High School. When I think of Providence, I think of Andrew. .. I can’t even imagine him not being there and I can’t imagine how Providence can turn their back on someone as legendary as him. It’s really sad.”

Bryan Camacho was a former girls’ basketball coach and athletic director at now-defunct Bellarmine-Jefferson High. He is currently an assistant women’s basketball coach at Long Beach State. Camacho has known Bencze for decades and has kept close contact with him.

“This has been just devastating news for me and I can’t believe that the school would do something like that to him,” Camacho said. “He bleeds Providence green. This is a man who has dedicated his life to that school and to be treated this way is just appalling.

“This is just unacceptable. For a supposed Christian, Catholic school to do something like this is horrible. And it’s not just the unbelievable things he has done on the court with his teams, but what he has done to help build the lives of his players and his students ... he deserved better than this. I just feel bad for the kids at that school who won’t be able to be taught and coached by this great man.”

Alec Kurkjian is a 2014 Providence graduate and a former two-sport athlete for the Pioneers who also had Bencze as a teacher. In addition, he was an assistant boys’ basketball coach at the school and his sister, Christa, played for Bencze.

He said the school’s decision not to retain Bencze has sent shock waves through the Providence community.

“Everyone is devastated and they are confused because he has a squeaky clean resume and he has run only the best athletic programs,” Kurkjian said. “So, many are wondering why someone with so many years with the school would be let go so suddenly without any answers? If there was a reason why he was being let go, I think we would be OK with it. But the fact that the school’s statement is so vague is very unsettling for us as alumni. We really want to know the reason and as alumni I think we deserve an answer.

“He is like family for many of us and to see this happen to him is troubling and confusing.”

Said Brentwood girls’ basketball coach Charles Solomon: “His basketball awareness, his basketball IQ, his coaching ability, how he’s respected in the coaching world, I mean it’s second to none. But then if you factor in what kind of person he is, it’s even at another level.

“If I had a kid I would only want them to be coached by somebody like Andrew. He would be at the top of my list. And that’s over me as a coach. That’s how much I think of Andrew.”

Former players of Bencze acknowledged what an influence the coach has had on their lives.

“He has had such an impact in all of our lives and when we think of Providence we think of him and how much he helped shape our lives,” said Heather Hansen, a 2007 graduate and former All-CIF and league player of the year in girls’ basketball. “He was always there for us and he always had an open door for us if we needed someone to talk with.

“We just want to send our sport for him let him know we’re with him.”

With his coaching career at Providence behind him, Bencze said he looks forward to what the future might hold.

“When one thing ends, you know, you want to start something new,” Bencze said. “I want to continue doing this. I believe that I’m pretty good at it and I think I can still make a difference. I’m super-excited to see what’s out there.

“I wanted my last event in my career to be walking off the stage for graduation at Providence. But that is not going to happen, so I have to move on.”