Feldman family forms foundation of Eden Christian baseball program

By: Ray Fisher
Sunday, July 13, 2025 | 11:01 AM

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Baseball is a way of life in the Feldman household.

It all starts with dad, Eden Christian Academy’s Mark Feldman, who was lauded as the Trib HSSN Coach of the Year for the Class A baseball season.

Eden ended up 19-6 overall in 2025 after sharing a section championship, advancing to the WPIAL semifinals and finishing as PIAA runner-up. And the Warriors pounded the cover off the ball, finishing with a .333 team batting average.

“It was an honor to be chosen as the Coach of the Year in Class A,” Feldman said. “I share the honor with my assistants, Tim Lipp and John Fowler, who are incredible men to coach alongside, and of course the team and our Eden community.”

Feldman, 52, has been coaching at Eden for eight years including the last two as the Warriors’ field boss. The Gibsonia resident has a background in both baseball and hockey.

“I grew up in Bradford Woods playing baseball and hockey,” he said, “but stopped playing baseball in middle school to focus my time and energy on hockey.

“I played high school hockey at North Allegheny and at a prep school in Boston. I played any of the three forward positions.”

On the diamond, Feldman has had the opportunity to mentor his son, Brett, this year, and Brian (along with Brett), last year.

To say he has relished the opportunity would be a colossal understatement.

“I have been grateful for the opportunity to coach both of my sons at Eden Christian Academy,” Feldman said. “We have learned a lot along the way and made many cherished memories. My sons are similar in work ethic, baseball IQ, and they both bring a lot of passion to the game. They love the sport.

“I have another son, Jonathan, a rising freshman at Eden. He has played basketball for Eden since fifth grade. However, he just recently decided to play baseball again, and I am thrilled.”

Brian Feldman (5-10, 170) was a sophomore first baseman and accounting major at Washington & Jefferson in 2025.

He was selected to the D3baseball.com Team of the Week and the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Team.

Feldman’s bat powered the Presidents past Baldwin Wallace and Saint Vincent in mid-April as he was 7 for 11 in a week with three doubles, one home run and six RBIs.

Feldman went 4 for 5 against the Yellow Jackets, finishing a triple shy of the cycle with two doubles, a home run and three RBIs. He drove in three runs in Game 1 of the Saint Vincent doubleheader off a double and single.

A left-handed batter and fielder, Feldman, who is 20, also was lauded in 2024 as a Presidents’ Athletic Conference Newcomer of the Week. His cumulative batting average at W&J is .311 with four homers and 48 RBIs.

During his senior season at Eden Christian, Feldman hit .500 with a .567 on-base percentage and .818 slugging percentage. He drove in 24 runs and scored 29 times.

“When it comes to playing for my dad, I think the impact on me goes way beyond what happens on the field,” Feldman said. “Watching him attack everything he does with a passion has inspired me more than anything baseball related ever will.

“For example, before Eden got turf, it used to take a lot of work to get it ready for games. If I looked out the window during a class and onto the field, it was almost a guarantee that my dad would be working his tail off to get the field ready. Being able to watch someone with such a strong work ethic first-hand is something that I will forever cherish.”

Being a “coach’s son” is something Feldman has acknowledged and embraced.

“Playing for my dad instilled in me a toughness that I think only a coach’s kid can have,” he said. “He has given me his fair share of tough love throughout the years, and I was not always the most receptive to it then.

“However, now that I have gone off to college and been on my own for the past couple of years, I have begun to really appreciate the lessons he has taught me with that tough love, as it has helped me develop into the man I am today.”

Brett Feldman (5-7, 150) was a junior shortstop for the Warriors this spring. And like his older brother, he served as a team captain.

The 18-year-old Feldman racked up a .425 batting average with 100 plate appearances and 82 at-bats, a .510 on-base percentage, .524 slugging percentage and 1.034 OPS to go along with 34 hits including 27 singles, 47 runs scored and team-leading 24 stolen bases. He struck out only twice all season.

“The team played hard, competed every time out and really came together as a group,” said the middle infielder. “I’m proud of what we accomplished and how we represented Eden baseball.”

Feldman and two other juniors on the club, 3B/P Brett Hull and P/OF Noah Emswiler, were named first team all-state in Class A this year.

“Brett is receiving recruitment interest, which is very exciting for him,” said his dad. “However, it is early in the process.”

Mark Feldman was joined in the Trib HSSN’s “Head of the Class” of WPIAL coaches by Seneca Valley’s Eric Semega (6A), Shaler’s Brian Junker (5A), Indiana’s Dan Petroff (4A), Riverside’s Dan Oliastro (3A) and Freedom’s Dan O’Leary (2A).

“My sons and I have been fortunate to be surrounded by many excellent mentors and coaches,” Feldman said. “My uncle, Dan Bazzani, coached basketball at Niagara Community College, the University of Buffalo and Niagara Falls High School.

“We really appreciate all we have learned about coaching and baseball from the remarkable coaches — Chase Rowe, Sean Lubin, Josh Sharpless and Matt Clement — at Battleground Baseball in Callery. Eden basketball coach Aaron Smith has been a great support as well.”

Eden Christian wrapped up another banner baseball season with a second consecutive 19-6 record in 2025. And Eden finished as a state runner-up for the second year in a row, winning 38 of 50 games in that span.

“I am very thankful for our players’ commitment throughout the entire year,” coach Feldman said. “We lost four senior starters from last year’s team and were still able to share a section title and once again found ourselves in the PIAA finals. This is because of this team’s commitment and hard work.”

It seems commitment to the program and player diligence are steady variables in Eden baseball.

“My only expectations at this point (for 2026) is that our players will work hard in the offseason and come ready to compete,” said the Warriors’ veteran field boss.

Tags: Eden Christian