He was the head baseball coach at Hazelwood West High School from 1974 to 1981. During that time, he had 91 wins and 49 losses. In 1978, his team finished third at the Missouri State Tournament. In 2013, he was inducted into the Hazelwood West Hall of Fame. Burkhart was the assistant baseball coach at Hazelwood High School in 1972 and 1973. He was the assistant baseball coach at Florissant Valley Community College in 1971. In 1970, Burkhart was the head baseball coach at Westran High School in Huntsville, Missouri. He attended Westran High School from 1958 to 1961, and played third base for the Westran Hornets. Burkhart was the assistant baseball coach at McCluer High School in 1968 and 1969. From 1963 to 1965, he was a third baseman for Moberly, Missouri in the Ban Johnson League. In 1964, he was named the Most Valuable Player of the Ban Johnson League. In 1966 and 1967, Burkhart played third base for Northeast Missouri State Teachers College, now called Truman State University. He was a third baseman in the St. Louis County League from 1968 to 1973. He was on the Geisler-Jorgen team in 1968 and 1969. He was a player-manager for State Farm from 1970 to 1973. He coached Khoury League and SLABA baseball for 15 years. He is part owner of the Fieldhouse Training Center which offers baseball instruction to young players. Burkhart has three sons who all played professional baseball. Burkhart played in the Major Leagues for the Boston Red Sox and Kansas City Royals. Lance Burkhart and Damon Burkhart both played minor league baseball.