Passing on passion for baseball
Matt Johnston grew up in Butler, has traveled to California and his next stop is Virginia.
Regardless of the destination, all he needs is a baseball diamond to feel at home.
Johnston, 28, graduated from Butler High School in 2001 and extended his baseball career to Butler County Community College and eventually Point Park University.
Following his collegiate career, Johnston played a season of semi-pro ball with the West Coast Baseball League in San Mateo, Calif.
"As an athlete, you never want to pass up an opportunity to play outside of high school," said Johnston. "You want to do your best to enjoy your experience and learn."
Johnston learned at a young age that he possessed a gift for helping children advance their skills. He led the Butler JV team to a 10-3 record this spring.
"I coached a lot of those guys the year before (with the freshman program), so we had a lot of camaraderie," said Johnston. "There's a lot of talent coming up through Butler and I'm proud to be a part of that."
This week — with help from recent Butler graduate and future Seton Hill University pitcher Tyler Slepski — Johnston is instructing the "Three Strikes You're Out" baseball camp on the campus of BC3 for a group of youngsters from ages 8-13.
"I knew right away that at some point I was going to coach," Johnston said. "At what level? I wasn't sure. How high? I don't know yet. We'll see how high it goes."
The next chapter in Johnston's life will bring him to Fredericksburg, Va. He recently accepted a teaching position there after falling on hard luck while trying to find a job in the Butler area.
"It's an opportunity I can't pass up," said Johnston. "Hopefully, at some point in the future I'll be able to come back and get back on the staff here in Butler."
Johnston expects to pick up his coaching career in Virginia. He's already been in contact with his new athletic director and is willing to volunteer if there's no vacancies on the baseball staff.
Johnston's expertise is in the middle infield, where he played for most of his career. He noted athleticism and agility are key components to becoming a stellar shortstop or second baseman, but working together with teammates can play an even larger role."The biggest part of being a middle infielder is communication and being a team leader. Other than the pitcher and the catcher, you're probably the most important position. You touch the ball a lot and influence a lot of plays," he explained. "Being a leader is one of the big reasons I was able to be successful playing in the middle of the infield."Johnston started his collegiate career at BC3 in 2002 before transferring to Point Park. He continued his playing career and earned a bachelor's degree in elementary education.His intrigue in pursuing a teaching career made for a seamless transition to coaching."I'm always big on learning, so I want to use my knowledge. It's a great feeling when I can teach these kids something new," said Johnston. "I'm a teacher, so educating — whether it's math, science or baseball — is one of my best attributes. I want to be able to share the knowledge that I have."Away from the classroom, Johnston will look for opportunities to implement a team-first mentality and help his ballclub understand that there's always room for improvement."The team aspect is something that's huge for me. It's one of the sports where you have to be a team player," he explained. "Even as a 28-year-old player who's been almost as high as you can play, I still watch the television and I can still learn something new every day."I just love to be a part of that," added Johnston. "It's something that just keeps bringing me back to the field and I can't get away from it."
