Matt Coco
Matt is our Head Coach for our 13U AAA team.
Matthew Coco’s coaching journey began long before he ever held a lineup card. Raised in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, Matthew was the kind of kid who played every sport he could get his hands on—rugby, cricket, tennis, basketball, golf, soccer. Baseball didn’t enter his life until he was thirteen, but once it did, the game never let him go.
His rapid rise through the sport reflected both his natural ability and relentless work ethic. Matthew went on to represent Australia’s National Teams at the U16 and U18 levels, earned roster spots on the Queensland Rams State Baseball Teams from U14 through Senior, and eventually crossed the world to compete in North America.
He played at Seminole State College, where he was later inducted into the 2003 Hall of Fame, earning 1st Team Region II honors as a designated hitter. His path continued to the Big 12 Conference, competing at Texas Tech University (NCAA D1)—a true utility player who could handle nearly any position on the field, though catcher remained home base. One of his favourite memories from that time was hitting a home run off the grassy knoll at the old Texas Rangers ballpark during a preseason Big 12 tournament.
After his playing career, coaching found Matthew naturally. What started as a way to spend time with his sons—sharing the same sports he grew up with—became something much deeper. With over five years of baseball coaching experience, including three seasons with the Calgary Cubs, and nine years of coaching hockey at competitive levels, Matthew now sees coaching as a personal mission.
His philosophy is grounded in the belief that baseball mirrors life. Challenges, failures, adjustments, resilience—these themes shape young athletes far beyond the field. Matthew aims to develop athletes who are not only skilled but also strong in character and ready for whatever comes next. Success, in his eyes, is a group that grows together, supports each other, and refuses to stay down when adversity hits.
Matthew has coached across multiple levels, including Community Ball, U13 AAA, assisting with U15 AAA practices in 2024, and helping at the Rawlings Cup (U17 AAA). As the U13 AAA Head Coach, his vision is to teach the foundations and nuances of the game, preparing players for the demands of U15 and higher-level baseball. For this season, his goals are simple but meaningful: become a competitive .500 team, and ensure every athlete finishes the year loving the game even more than when they started.
Outside the diamond, Matthew is the CTO of 3PointZero, and at home, sports run deep in the Coco family. His wife, Heather, played college softball at Seminole State, Texas Tech, and Simon Fraser. Their sons—Morgan, Aiden, and Jacob—have all worn the Cubs colours proudly and earned roster spots with Team Alberta.
Matthew still cheers for the Toronto Blue Jays, not because he lives in Canada, but because that organization helped him find his way to North America. He grew up watching the great power hitters of the ’90s—Jim Thome, Frank Thomas, Gary Sheffield, Tony Gwynn, Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa—players whose presence at the plate left a lasting impression.
And perhaps the detail his players love most:
He didn’t even know baseball existed until he was 13.
But when he found it, he went all in—and now he’s committed to helping the next generation discover what the sport can do for them, too.
