Ty Megahee was raised with a baseball in one hand and a bat in the other.
"I was one of those kids the dad had out in the backyard when I was 2 teaching me how to swing," said Megahee, volunteer assistant coach of Auburn's baseball team. "I played every sport growing up, but baseball was my first love and I stuck with it."
These days, the 29-year-old Megahee is still sticking with it and has taken on a mentor role in his third year with the Tigers.
Megahee currently works primarily with the team's catchers, after he coached the outfield for his first two seasons.
As a volunteer coach, Megahee is neither employed nor paid by the University.
Instead, he coaches out of his desire to help players improve.
"(It's important) just to refine their skills and knowledge and the basis for continuing to play the game," Megahee said.
His value to the team is not limited to the field, however.
Megahee also handles the team's communication with the academic support staff to ensure the players he coaches on the diamond avoid making mistakes off of it.
"Part of my role here is dealing with players on a day-to-day basis," he said. "I try to be a good influence ... and try to to prepare these guys to continue playing baseball to have success on the field and also have success in life."
Megahee is a product of that formula.
After playing infield for Mercer University from 2004-05, Megahee graduated and became a volunteer coach at his alma mater for three years before taking the same position at Monmouth University in New Jersey in 2009 for one season.
Auburn assistant coach Link Jarrett coached Megahee at Mercer and said he has always showed that he possesses the skills necessary to become a successful coach.
"He was a student of the game ... a very hardworking, intelligent player, and those usually turn out to be good coaches," Jarrett said.
Megahee's experience as a player has helped him quickly form a close rapport with the Tigers.
"They feel really comfortable going to talk to Ty," Jarrett said. "He has a lot of interaction with them on study hall, class schedule, what they're signing up for and how their grades are coming along, so I feel like they can go to him about anything."
Being the youngest of the coaches doesn't hurt matters, either.
"I don't feel like I'm that far removed from playing and being in their shoes," Megahee said.
Megahee wanted to be a coach at his own high school program initially, but he said the college opportunity was too good to pass up.
Megahee also helps run the summer Auburn Baseball Academy camps, allowing him to make a living and help youths trying to fulfill their dreams.
"That's one of the joys you get out of coaching is seeing guys get better, and that's what we try to do in our camps," he said.
Megahee's dedication to Auburn during his tenure has been admirable, and if he continues, Jarrett said it will earn him a head coaching job one day.
"The more experience and the more knowledge and the more relationships he has, as time goes on that will give him the chance to eventually become a head coach, and I see that happening for him," Jarrett said.
While Megahee said a head coaching position is definitely a goal of his, for now he has a more immediate target in mind.
"I'd like to go to Omaha," he said. "I was never able to go as a player. I'd like to go as a coach and coach in the College World Series.
"We came close a couple years ago and hopefully we're on that track again this year."
Do you like this story? The Plainsman doesn't accept money from tuition or student fees, and we don't charge a subscription fee. But you can donate to support The Plainsman.
