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With many children aspiring to be great athletes and legends in their own right, it is teachers and coaches like T.J. Eggers that are a big part of that journey.

Growing up in an athletic family, Eggers was exposed to everything imaginable: soccer, basketball, golf, baseball and football to name a few.

“My dad was an excellent golfer, and he taught me how to play,” reflected Eggers. “I would go out there and practice for hours to get better. When you play a sport like golf, there is a bottom line. You can’t be bailed out of those situations, and I didn’t mind that pressure.”

Eggers also enjoyed changing gears and playing sports that allowed him to appreciate camaraderie. Sports like football and basketball allowed him to do just that. Finding the joy in sports didn’t stop with just being a part of a team.

“I would go out in the neighborhood and help other kids that wanted to learn and teach them,” Eggers said. “I would play with them for hours.”

Many of the memories that have fond sentiments are when he was at St. Leo’s Catholic School during middle school.

“The Shamrock Tournament was always a highlight for us, and I recall being part of a really good team,” reflected Eggers. “There is nothing like being part of a championship team, even if you’re not one of the player’s making it happen. The momentum and enthusiasm were so much fun when we went all the way to the championship game. Ultimately, they didn’t win, but the memories made from winning each round were special.”

As Eggers went to high school, it was clear that golf was a sport that he could take to the next level. Several D-III schools were interested in him, however, with a strong family presence still in Alabama, Auburn University became a strong contender.

“My dad had said if he could have done it all over again, he would have chosen Auburn too,” explained Eggers. “That stuck with me, and when I got in, I decided to go there. At that time, I thought I would focus on their golf course redesign program. Traveling and redesigning golf courses sounded interesting to me.”

Eggers completed an internship with Kris Spence to get a greater understanding of golf course renovations.

“When the crash of 2008 hit my senior year, money in the golf world became scarcer,” noted Eggers. “I realized that I needed to reconsider what I was going to do once I graduated.”

What happened next was random luck according to Eggers.

“At that time online poker was legal, and I played in the 2009 World Series of Poker,” Eggers said.

At one point, Eggers had just $10 and came back in a couple of weeks to amass $18,000. When he realized he could go even further, he placed 334th and made $34,000.

“I decided to save that money, and figure out what I would do next,” Eggers said. “It was a fun and interesting experience, and I knew it would allow me the opportunity to take some time to really consider what I could do that would make a difference with my career choice.”

Heading back home, Eggers went back to St. Leo’s to help coach the JV girls’ basketball team. Thus, the beginning of his realization and career track to influencing aspiring athletes in sports that they loved.

“My P.E. teacher when I was at St. Leo’s was retiring, so I was offered her job and became the athletic director too which worked out perfectly because I had gone back to school to get my master’s degree in education at Salem College,” said Eggers.

From there, Eggers gained valuable experience as the head JV girls coach under Brian Robinson at Bishop McGuinness High School.

“I learned so much that I would have not known if it weren’t for him,” Eggers said. “He understands the game, the psychology of it, and how to set up a good culture. I stayed at Bishop for 5 ½ years, coached for the Winston-Salem Stealers, and then went to Immaculate Heart of Mary as a coach and teacher before ending up at R.J. Reynolds High School.”

Now the head coach for the R.J. Reynolds women’s basketball team, Eggers appreciates teaching a variety of P.E. classes that allows him to interact with his students in a variety of capacities.

“I teach sports medicine, lifetime sports, team sports and a class that has students going into other schools to teach P.E. classes themselves,” said Eggers. “I enjoy connecting with the students and bringing what I have been given to them both on and off the court.”

While most people would agree, winning is great, and so are awards, like his team’s Mary Garber Championship in 2022, and winning the co-conference champion title for the 2022-2023 season, Eggers finds the greatest joy in his students letting him know that he has made a difference in encouraging them. Last year, player, Destiny Thompson spoke for 2 minutes about not being able to be the player she was without his guidance and belief in her.

“It meant so much to me,” said the the 2024 R.J. Reynolds coach of the year. “I get choked up thinking about it. When you invest in these kids, they know it.”

If Eggers isn’t out inspiring kids, he is likely spending time with his wife, Leslie whom he married in 2022.

“She has always been a big supporter of my dream of being a coach and teacher,” Eggers said. “She knows that it doesn’t matter what the sport is. If a kid wants to be successful in a sport, I’ll do whatever I can to support their dream. I think especially in public schools, the earlier you can expose kids to sports, the more successful they will be because they will develop confidence. I will always be there to meet that student where they are at to develop that confidence and be their advocate.”