Born and raised in Zanesville, Ohio, Matt loved baseball with all his heart and soul. He grew up with a brother, Mike, and three sisters, Phyllis, Carol, and Mary. His parents worked at the same school. Vernon as principal and Dorothy, a librarian. As a boy, Matt was always playing ball, whether for a school team, or in the backyard for fun. He was quite the ball player, moving from high school to college ball at Kent State University in Ohio. When Matt’s family moved to Arizona, Matt transferred to Arizona State University. Unfortunately, it was too late in the season to try out for the team; however, ASU knew the history that Matt had in baseball, so they had him help manage the team that year.
Matt graduated with a degree in education and became a Driver’s Education teacher and a Junior Varsity baseball coach at Corona del Sol High School in Tempe. Steve Adolph and Matt became good friends as they taught and coached together at Corona. During his coaching years at the school, Matt's teams won several trophies and titles including 5A Conference State Runners-Up in the 1990-1991 season. After that, Matt moved on to become a counselor and an assistant Varsity Baseball coach at Mountain Pointe High School. Later, Steve introduced him to his sister-in-law, Shelly. Matt and Shelly soon married and went on to have two children, Brandon and Lauren. After school every day, Matt would pick the kids up from their school and take them out to the ball field with him during baseball season. Both children greatly enjoyed watching their dad coach and spending time with the players in the dug-out. This may account for the love of baseball both Brandon and Lauren have to this day.
Then, on June 20, 1998, Matt was diagnosed with brain cancer. He did everything he could to continue counseling, teaching and coaching; but, soon his sickness overtook him. Matt would have seizures quite often, and he fell frequently following his brain surgery. This forced him to use a cane; something that was hard for Matt. At the same time, he was enduring both chemotherapy and radiation; but, not without the support of his family, coworkers, and ball players. Matt’s entire family was right beside him during the entire battle. Shelly read and studied, learning about the disease; and fed her husband organic foods known to support the immune system and fight cancer. She had a special water purification system installed in the house, and would monitor Matt to make sure he was in fact eating the healthy food she put out for him. On days that Shelly would not leave Matt's side at the hospital, Steve and Renee, Shelly's sister, would prepare organic meals to bring them at the hospital.
It was a silent and devastating evening, February 8th, 1999, when Matt lost his battle to cancer, leaving his wife and two small children, Brandon, then almost seven, and Lauren, five. Services were held on the Mountain Pointe Varsity Baseball field. Guests, which included the entire Varsity baseball team, Matt’s family and friends, and coworkers, were seated on the infield, while the podium was on the pitcher’s mound. A few family members that spoke were Steve Adolph, Renee Adolph, and Julie and Jason Adolph, as well as Shelly. On the left field flag pole, below the America flag, flew a maroon flag with a gold #44 on it. Later, a memorial was built in honor of Coach Leuck: a large cement replica of a Major League baseball with #44 on it. Alongside it, is a plaque with a picture of Matt in his coaching uniform, and a poem written by Renee Adolph, Shelly’s sister. This memorial sits outside Mountain Pointe High School, highly visible to all those who enter the front doors of the school. Moreover, Matt’s sister Mary had a memorial brick placed in front of Chase Field (Bank One Ballpark at the time), home of the Arizona Diamondbacks. It reads, “In loving memory of Coach Matt Leuck.”
Many things have changed in the past eleven years, including the growth of Matt’s children; but one thing that has not, is the memory of Matt that lingers at both Mountain Pointe High School and Corona del Sol High School. His family still remembers the many days of doctor visits, chemotherapy and radiation treatments, and Matt’s courageous fight. But, what is remembered most is the loving, funny, and dynamic person that so many of us were privileged to call friend and/or family.
Matt graduated with a degree in education and became a Driver’s Education teacher and a Junior Varsity baseball coach at Corona del Sol High School in Tempe. Steve Adolph and Matt became good friends as they taught and coached together at Corona. During his coaching years at the school, Matt's teams won several trophies and titles including 5A Conference State Runners-Up in the 1990-1991 season. After that, Matt moved on to become a counselor and an assistant Varsity Baseball coach at Mountain Pointe High School. Later, Steve introduced him to his sister-in-law, Shelly. Matt and Shelly soon married and went on to have two children, Brandon and Lauren. After school every day, Matt would pick the kids up from their school and take them out to the ball field with him during baseball season. Both children greatly enjoyed watching their dad coach and spending time with the players in the dug-out. This may account for the love of baseball both Brandon and Lauren have to this day.
Then, on June 20, 1998, Matt was diagnosed with brain cancer. He did everything he could to continue counseling, teaching and coaching; but, soon his sickness overtook him. Matt would have seizures quite often, and he fell frequently following his brain surgery. This forced him to use a cane; something that was hard for Matt. At the same time, he was enduring both chemotherapy and radiation; but, not without the support of his family, coworkers, and ball players. Matt’s entire family was right beside him during the entire battle. Shelly read and studied, learning about the disease; and fed her husband organic foods known to support the immune system and fight cancer. She had a special water purification system installed in the house, and would monitor Matt to make sure he was in fact eating the healthy food she put out for him. On days that Shelly would not leave Matt's side at the hospital, Steve and Renee, Shelly's sister, would prepare organic meals to bring them at the hospital.
It was a silent and devastating evening, February 8th, 1999, when Matt lost his battle to cancer, leaving his wife and two small children, Brandon, then almost seven, and Lauren, five. Services were held on the Mountain Pointe Varsity Baseball field. Guests, which included the entire Varsity baseball team, Matt’s family and friends, and coworkers, were seated on the infield, while the podium was on the pitcher’s mound. A few family members that spoke were Steve Adolph, Renee Adolph, and Julie and Jason Adolph, as well as Shelly. On the left field flag pole, below the America flag, flew a maroon flag with a gold #44 on it. Later, a memorial was built in honor of Coach Leuck: a large cement replica of a Major League baseball with #44 on it. Alongside it, is a plaque with a picture of Matt in his coaching uniform, and a poem written by Renee Adolph, Shelly’s sister. This memorial sits outside Mountain Pointe High School, highly visible to all those who enter the front doors of the school. Moreover, Matt’s sister Mary had a memorial brick placed in front of Chase Field (Bank One Ballpark at the time), home of the Arizona Diamondbacks. It reads, “In loving memory of Coach Matt Leuck.”
Many things have changed in the past eleven years, including the growth of Matt’s children; but one thing that has not, is the memory of Matt that lingers at both Mountain Pointe High School and Corona del Sol High School. His family still remembers the many days of doctor visits, chemotherapy and radiation treatments, and Matt’s courageous fight. But, what is remembered most is the loving, funny, and dynamic person that so many of us were privileged to call friend and/or family.
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