Staying involved

Taylor Coe has hung up her cleats, but she’s not done with the game of softball just yet.

The recent Vestavia Hills High School graduate is now a freshman at Auburn University, and has been afforded a coveted and unique opportunity. She will be an undergraduate manager for the Tigers’ softball program.

As a manager, Coe will have to be the epitome of “first one there, last one to leave.” Her duties will include setting up equipment for practices and lessons, and she will perform various tasks throughout practices as needed.

Coe said she initially had hopes of playing college softball, but she changed course during her junior year at Vestavia Hills, deciding she wanted to properly pursue a pre-medicine degree.

“I wanted to stay involved with softball in some way,” she said.

That way presented itself through a past connection: Auburn associate head coach Corey Myers. Before joining his father, Clint Myers, at Auburn in 2013, he was Coe’s travel softball coach with the Birmingham Thunderbolts.

Coe was no slouch on the softball field throughout her own playing career, as she was the starting centerfielder and a main catalyst for the Rebel softball team in her senior season. Vestavia Hills advanced to the eight-team Class 7A state tournament, and finished third.

She hit for a .305 batting average and impressive .425 on-base percentage. One of her two home runs of the year was during the state tournament.

Her head coach at Vestavia, Lissa Walker, said Coe became a vocal leader in her final season, and Coe emphasized midway through the season the team’s great chemistry would allow them to go all the way to the state tournament. She was right.

Coe said she realizes “how many would kill to have this opportunity” she now has on the Plain, and not just at a run-of-the-mill program. Auburn advanced to the finals of the College World Series in the summer, falling just short against Oklahoma in a decisive third game.

“It is going to be one of the best things that I experience during my four years of college, for sure,” she said. “Getting to see all of their hard work at workouts and practice pay off during the season will be the most exciting part. I can’t wait to see how much the team will accomplish this year after such a great season last year.”

It’s a perfect storm in Auburn for Coe. She lived there for six years; both of her parents attended the university, and the Myers family has long been a positive connection.

“The Myers family has brought so much passion and success to the Auburn softball program within the last few years,” Coe said. “The way that they coach and connect to the players and Auburn family is very special, especially since they have impacted my life and my softball career as well.”