First responder Matt Sydlik is participating in the Can-Am Police-Fire games. He sat down with the Eagle at Vintage Coffeehouse in Butler on Friday, July 12.

Morgan Phillips

As a corrections officer, Matthew Sydlik’s workday is all about bars and captivity, so it’s no surprise he wants to get out and run when he gets the chance.

Sydlik, who lives in Butler, works for the State Correctional Institution at Mercer, and commutes roughly 40 miles to work each day. One of his duties is to make sure the penal system in Mercer doesn’t descend into chaos every day.

“I could be the scheduling lieutenant, where I'm sitting at the desk making a roster for the next day and calling people in for overtime,” Sydlik said. “Or I could be the zone lieutenant where I'm out walking one of our zones and checking in on housing units and just making sure that everything's moving smoothly during the shift.”

Sydlik has been working for the corrections department for 15 years, a career that began shortly after he returned from his yearlong deployment in Iraq in 2009 with the Pennsylvania National Guard. The 40-year-old Sydlik retired from the National Guard in November.

“I didn't want to go back to school, so I took a civil service test and got hired,” Sydlik said.

When Sydlik isn’t working at the corrections institution or being a father, he’s out running off his stresses. This month, Sydlik is competing in the 5K and 10K running events in the Can-Am Police-Fire Games in Butler County.

It’s nothing new for Sydlik, who is no stranger to running events in Western Pennsylvania.

“I'm always running races. I like to compete. It keeps me mentally intact,” Sydlik said. “When the Can-Am Games came around, it was a chance to compete against others in the same line of work.”

Aside from the Can-Am Games, Sydlik has recently taken part in the Butler Road Race this past June, along with the Pittsburgh Marathon in May, and the 74-mile Georgia Death Race in Blairsville, Ga., in March.

For those thinking of becoming a first responder, Sydlik recommends finding a hobby such as running to keep sane.

“You have to find a hobby or something that you enjoy to do, because it can be strenuous,” Sydlik said. “It's kind of like me with running, it keeps me grounded. You have to find a hobby or something that keeps you grounded, so you're not bringing the stresses of work home with you.”