By: Brendan Dougherty

We had the opportunity to sit down and talk with long time and highly respected Myrtle Beach Head Coach Tim Christy. Find out more about the upcoming season, how they have adapted to the new normal and much more in this edition of Program Preview.

How has your club adapted to all the 2021 “protocols” with Covid-19?
I feel like we have adapted very well. It is not difficult to follow protocols when the alternative is not having another season.

What has your message been to your club after the stoppage of play in 2020?
Our message to the kids has been to control what you can control. Things like how hard you work in the classroom and how much time you spend improving as a player are 100% in your control. Worry about those things and stop wasting time complaining about stuff outside of your control. We remind them often to remember what it felt like to have your season cancelled. Do everything you can to insure we play in 2021.

What are the strength of your 2021 club?
I would say pitching and defense will determine our success. We play in such a tough region. There are no nights off and every club has a quality arm or two. Every successful team we have ever had did those two things well. We hope to be able to do that this season.

Who are you looking to lead the charge this year?
We have three returning seniors that have played a bunch for us. Austin Gordon will be our #1 starter as well as playing ss when he isn’t pitching. He will play at Clemson. Tyler Burgess will be our #2 arm and play cf when not pitching. He will play at Francis Marion. Brandon Bruce will see a bunch of time on the mound and play a myriad of positions. He could play at the next level at a lot of places if he chose to. He is an outstanding student who is weighing his options academically and athletically. It’s a nice problem to have. We have two senior transfers, Mason Foltz and Zack Blanton who we are looking to fill some voids for us.

Looking at your schedule, what are some of the big games?
We preach that the biggest game of the year is the next game on the schedule. With only two teams making the post season this year, that’s never been more true. We will have to be locked in every night

What’s one thing most people don’t know about Myrtle Beach High School Baseball?
Something people don’t know……..that’s a tough one. High school baseball coaches everywhere work so hard for their kids. I think that’s probably the most overlooked thing about most all programs. When you consider planning and implementing practice and game plans, taking care of your field, being the equipment manager/academic advisor/social worker/spiritual advisor, there’s a lot going on. We work hard, folks should recognize that.

Looking through your track record, you have done a great job of building programs, had some Myrtle Beach has had some success.. What’s your personal goals for the program going into this year?
My personal goals are always the same, make sure our players are better equipped to be successful people and players at the end of the season. In that order. Of course, we love to win and work very hard to that end, but I always tell our kids to never forget to have fun. That doesn’t mean to disrespect the game or your opponent, but to recognize the value of enjoying the greatest game on earth. It’s important to me personally for players to look back on their career here with fond memories and a firm understanding that in life, success is earned.

Describe your typical “game day” as the Head Coach of Myrtle Beach High School?
My typical day starts at 5 AM with an alarm and the first check is the weather app on my phone Hahaha! I teach three classes per day so my day is pretty full. If all is well, I’ll try to mow the field during my planning period and make sure all is well in the ballpark. Now, if I get a slider on the black at 5, there could be anything from a lot of field maintenance to being an electrician/plumber/child psychologist/caterer. Some days are more challenging than others, but I am fortunate to have had a job I love for 30+ years.

Thank you Coach Christy for the time and insight on the 2021 Myrtle Beach High School Seahawks… Stay tuned for more programs around the region in the upcoming weeks…