Andrew Captain Puts Opponents to Bed-narczyk

Andrew outside hitter Jake Bednarczyk might not be the tallest guy on the court, but his vision and bombastic overhand swing offset his relative lack of size.

The T-Bolts' senior captain is having an outstanding statistical season, but it’s his energy and presence as a leader that has made the greatest impact on the Andrew boys volleyball team.

“I’ve had some really good captains over the years, but Jake (Bednarczyk) has been one where the coaches saw the leadership in him as a junior," T-Bolts coach Troy Hari said. "We knew he would be a senior captain. He talks to the guys and they listen to him. When he’s on the court, the guys look to him for inspiration and guidance. He brings a spark and energy every single game.”

Bednarczyk, who plans to major in special education at Western Michigan, said it's easy to be a captain when playing alongside a group of friends.

“The other two captains are my best friends, Paul Bilanzic and Jim Boyce,” Bednarczyk said following the T-Bolts' 25-19, 25-21 loss to rival Sandburg on Wednesday night. “We’re a very close team off the court. We all have fun, and it makes it easy to play together.”

As 5-9, Bednarczyk regularly plays against much taller opponents. He has worked hard on improving his passing and hitting.  

 “I’m not the tallest outside hitter, so I might not get as many blocks, but I love throwing down a kill,” he said.  “I’m not looking for any individual goals. I just want to lead and win as a team.”

 Hari has been impressed with Bednarczyk's attitude as well as his play.

“Jake’s always there with the right words when we’re down," Hari said. "He’s a great role model, and I’m lucky to have him.  We turn to him a lot.”

Bednarczyk hopes he doesn't get lost in a forest of tall trees in college. He plans on trying out for the club team at Western Michigan.

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