You could say KCKCC is a family tradition for the Goldbeck family.
Current KCKCC Baseball Coach Matt Goldbeck attended KCKCC as well as his wife Diana, who is now an administrative assistant for KCKCC Campus Police. She played volleyball and softball before graduating in 1993.
“I grew up in Wyandotte County,” Goldbeck said. “I graduated from Washington High School in 1989 and knew of the baseball tradition at KCKCC. It was close to home, and I looked up to
those guys.”
Playing baseball since he was a kid, he would often be found in the backyard with his brother and playing catch with others in the neighborhood. While he played other sports like football and basketball, baseball was what he enjoyed most.
“It’s just what I did every day,” he said. “I always thought I would play in the big leagues. I just admired those guys, and I enjoyed being around it.”
Goldbeck played two years at KCKCC under legendary coach Steve Burleson. He then went onto play at Washburn University to play for two years.
“I was an assistant under Coach Burleson and coached for 22 years after I played for him,” Goldbeck said. “As a player, he was old school and he held you accountable. But his goal was to make you a better baseball player. As a coach, I knew where he came from. He was trying to help make you a better player, coach, husband and father. It was never just about baseball.”
Although he did not finish his bachelor’s degree at Washburn, he went onto complete a business degree at Ottawa University as well as a master’s degree from Central Michigan. When Burleson retired in 2015, Goldbeck assumed the role of head coach.
But KCKCC is where he will always call home. In addition to his wife attending the college, his sister-in-law attended as well as both of his sons – Kaleb and Gehrig. Kaleb was a member of Phi Theta Kappa, a tutor in the Learning Commons and earned an honors scholarship before transferring to Kansas State University to complete his English degree. Gehrig has been a powerhouse on the KCKCC baseball team, being named 2023 NJCAA DI Defensive Player of the Year, a two-time Rawlings Gold Glove recipient and most recently named to the First Team All East Division in the KJCCC. He plans to transfer to the University of Missouri-Columbia to continue playing baseball.
“It all starts with family, he said. “My wife wanted to stay close to her parents, and with Coach Burleson being so good to me and my family, it was an easy decision to stay. He has been a mentor and gave me the ability to learn. I think the school has allowed us to not only coach baseball, but to learn from our craft. The ultimate reward is when I have players call me and send me photos that they have graduated from a university. That is the best feeling.”
Goldbeck said Diana has always been one of his biggest supporters.
“This job can be seven days a week and she (Diana) would bring the kids up to have dinner or I could run home to grab a bite and come back up. I love being that close,” he said. “I have been here for 31 years, and I think the biggest impact has been the people we get to be around. The people are refreshing to be around. They are young and helping them figure out what they want to do in their life is rewarding.”
For Goldbeck, it all comes down to his love of the game and the athletes he gets to work with.
“I love the game of baseball, all the intricacies of the sport. It is so different than coaching any other sport,” he said. “I love the challenges on why we are not successful, and I love learning about game. I also love trying to figure out something to help players succeed. It is fun to see when they get it and have success.”
