VANDALIA - In a program known for its tradition, its championships, and its competitive fire, one of Butler Baseball’s greatest strengths has always been its consistency.
And for thirty seasons, Mike Bardonaro has been an integral part of that.
“Bardo’s been with me for three decades,” said head coach Trent Dues. “Not only are we coaches—we’re great friends. We’ve been through a lot of wins and a lot of tough losses.”
Thirty seasons. That’s not just loyalty. That’s a legacy.
After successful baseball careers at Chaminade-Julienne High School and Wright State University, Bardonaro joined the program in 1995, cutting his teeth as an assistant on the junior varsity staff.
He became JV head coach in 1999, leading his teams to a string of 20-win seasons. It was in 2009 that he joined the varsity staff as pitching coach, his presence truly helping to galvanize the heart of the program. A year later, he was named the Miami Valley Baseball Coaches Association Assistant Coach of the Year.
And yet—he’d be the last to mention any of that.
Instead, he’ll tell you how proud he is just to be part of it all. How much it means to coach beside his longtime friend. How grateful he is for the players, the staff, the community. He’s said it time and again: “I’m just proud to be part of Butler Baseball.”
Bardonaro doesn’t crave the spotlight. He’s usually behind the scenes—toting buckets of baseballs, keeping the technology side of baseball operations humming, or tossing batting practice until his shoulder begs for mercy.
“I call him my right brain, we’re yin and yang,” Dues says with a smile.
On game day, the players trust him. His fellow coaches rely on him.
Ask the pitchers. He’s the calming voice when the moment gets too big, the guy who brings just the right words to the mound. A little wisdom, a little levity, and somehow, the storm passes.
What makes Bardonaro even more remarkable is that his commitment isn’t confined to the diamond. A teacher at Butler High School, he’s shaped young minds in the classroom too.
At home, the program has always been a family passion. Mike and Heidi Bardonaro have raised two talented daughters, Samantha and Dillan—both standout basketball players who grew up around Butler Baseball. The duo has always been incredibly supportive and invested in the girls’ success.
Sami’s now playing college ball at USC Aiken. Dillan, a sharp-shooting sophomore at Butler, carries the Bardonaro grit into every game.
And if you look a little deeper into the Butler Baseball family tree, you’ll find Gus “Pops” Bardonaro—Mike’s father—woven into the fabric too. He was in the stands watching Mike’s brother Jeff play for the Aviators from 1994 to 1998. Later, he joined Mike’s JV staff and went on to become a familiar, calming presence in the varsity dugout, serving as the team’s mental coach. Two generations, all connected to one program, not by spotlight, but by steady, genuine presence.
Coach Dues summed it up best: “Without him, our program would not be what it is today.”
Thirty seasons later, Bardonaro will tell you that it still isn’t about him.
But in a program built on tradition, consistency, and care—maybe, just this once—it should be.
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