TBC Alumni Spotlight: Matthew Carter

Matthew Carter is a 2018 Business Management and Ethics graduate of Trinity Baptist College where he played baseball for the TBC Eagles. He has taken his love for athletics and turned it into a platform to instill values, discipline, and essential life skills in the youth of Northeast Florida. 

Building Leadership Skills

Coach Carter is in his 4^th year as head baseball coach of Oakleaf High School. (Previously, he coached at Baldwin High School for two years.)  As a high school and college student-athlete himself, he learned early how to work with a team, respect others, and pay attention to detail: all lessons which sharpened his baseball skills but extended to interpersonal skills, character, and discipline. 

Those same values shape his coaching style today and have carried over into his baseball program at Oakleaf High School, where his philosophy focuses on character first.  

“Baseball should be the byproduct,” he explains. “How we perform in the classroom, how we interact with teachers, and how we behave as students is more important than how we perform as players.”

Coaching Beyond the Field 

One way he practically applies this philosophy is through a program he has instituted called “Future Men Fridays”.  Designed to prepare his players for life beyond baseball, he invites guest speakers to present and teach life skills unrelated to sports. This initiative has welcomed familiar faces from TBC, including alumni and faculty, to share wisdom and practical knowledge.  

“We’ve had speakers (several from TBC) teach how to do taxes, buy a car, or change a tire. It’s about equipping these young men with skills they’ll need in the real world,” he explains. “Dr. Jeremiah Stanley taught the team how to change a tire and use a chainsaw. Another shared a gospel presentation, and another discussed financial literacy, like managing credit cards and establishing credit… If we say they’re more than athletes, we have to prove it by teaching them things beyond the game.” 

The response from the players has been positive, even though some are skeptical at first.  Some students don’t see the challenge in these deceptively simple life skills; it isn’t until they attempt and struggle that they understand the value in learning them.  Not only does this program encourage self-development, but Coach Carter says it adds variety to the baseball program and practices, keeping the student-athletes them more engaged overall.

Celebrating Success

His focus on character building isn’t to say that athletic achievement has taken a back seat.  In fact, Oakleaf High Baseball has enjoyed great success under the direction of Matt Carter.  With three consecutive winning seasons and an appearance at the state playoff last year, there is much to celebrate, including 18 players signing to play college baseball over the past three years.

Matt Carter has been named 6A and 7A Coach of the Year, and earlier this year he celebrated his 75^th career win, but he is quick to point out that it all reflects the work of his entire team.

“It’s not about me. It’s about the team of coaches who work with me every day, several of whom share my background from TBC.”  (Two assistant coaches, Jonathan Shiver and Dan Richards are fellow alumni of TBC)

In spite of his coaching success, he believes that ultimate goal of his coaching career is about something greater than baseball.  He says that coaching is about more than wins and losses. It’s about preparing these young men for life.

The Power of Routine

From his days as a student-athlete at TBC to his current role as a coach and mentor, Coach Carter says that learning and accepting the power of routine has been key to his ability to reach goals.  If he could give one piece of advice to students it would be to get organized and stick to a routine.

“In high school, it is all planned out for you.  There’s a structured routine —bus schedules, set class times, and constant reminders.  But in college (and after), you’re on your own. It’s up to you to allocate your time effectively.”  “Use a planner,” he continues.  “I used my phone because it was always with me—and let’s face it – I was always on it.  I’d set reminders for classes, study sessions, and team meetings. It kept me on track.”

Meaningful Relationships 

Looking back on his time at TBC, Coach Carter fondly recalls the relationships he built with faculty, coaches, and peers.  He named professors like Dr. Christmas and Dr. Buckner, Mr. Elkins, along with his coach, Jon Copeland, who shaped his personal and professional growth.  “The genuine relationships we built went beyond academics or sports—they were life-changing.” 

He also appreciates the unique support system TBC provided.  Carter met several pastors and other leaders through Trinity Ministries who mentored him and influenced his spiritual growth as well as his personal development.  He still maintains relationships with several of these individuals.

Matt Carter is married to Kayla, a teacher at Tynes Elementary, and they recently welcomed their second child.