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Champion’s Megan and Michael Turner have success because of their …

Family Ties

Tribune Chronicle / Bob Ettinger Megan (top) and Michael Turner are part of Champion’s softball and baseball state tournament teams. Their family history plays a big part of their respective successes.

Tribune Chronicle / Bob Ettinger Megan (top) and Michael Turner are part of Champion's softball and baseball state tournament teams. Their family history plays a big part of their respective successes.CHAMPION — After being drafted out of high school by the New York Yankees in 1989, Brian Turner spent quite a bit of time in the minor leagues, which is understandable considering he was 17-years-old when he was chosen in the 40th round.

The Grand Valley High School graduate was in the minor leagues for nearly 10 years, so he had some time to meet a lot of people. One of those people was his wife, Christy. Another was Derek Jeter. Then there was Mariano Rivera, Andy Pettitte and Jorge Posada.

Turner, now the father of two promising athletes at Champion High School, was a veteran in the minors when the core of one of the greatest Yankee eras of all time was coming through the system. A first baseman, Turner never made it to the big leagues, but that doesn’t mean he didn’t have a good time in the minors.

“I got to play with Jeter. That was my big highlight,” he said with a laugh. “I played with Rivera, Jeter, Pettitte, Posada — that whole foursome.

“I even taught Andy Pettitte how to fish.”

The last decade or so, he’s been teaching his kids a thing or two about playing ball.

Michael Turner plays for the Golden Flashes baseball team. The senior catcher leads Champion in hitting (.467 average), doubles (tied with 8) and RBIs 26. He is committed to play for Kent State.

Megan Turner is a star on the softball team. The junior shortstop also leads the Golden Flashes in hitting (.516), is second in home runs (13), RBIs (46) and walks (15). She also is committed to play for Kent, turning down offers from Ohio State, Duke and Indiana, among others, to join her brother.

The siblings are two-sport athletes as each plays basketball as well, and athletics helped improve what was once the somewhat-typical relationship of a brother and sister.

“When we were little, we used to fight a lot, but once we hit high school we became a lot closer,” Megan said of their kinship. “We kind of do everything together. We can talk to each other about anything now. Like, when I’m hitting or playing basketball, say I have a bad game or I’m not doing so well, I’ll go to him for advice. He’ll usually just tell me to relax. He knows how I can play, and he helps me get my confidence back.

“We hit together almost every single day. We work out together. We do a lot of stuff together.”

Mom and dad are a big part of it all as well, of course.

Brian spent the majority of his life playing baseball, and Christy was a standout high school athlete as well, but they never pressured their kids into playing baseball or softball. Not too surprisingly, the sports came naturally to them.

Michael was one of the better players in Little League and then played on a state championship Hot Stove team at age 10. That’s when he started to realize his skills.

“Once you transition from Hot Stove to travel ball, it’s a completely different level of talent,” Michael said. “We traveled to a different state every weekend of every summer. It gets to a point where you’re expected to perform well instead of you hope to.”

Megan was a star at a young age as well. She was a standout pitcher for a while and also caught before moving to shortstop, where she has excelled for Champion’s high school team. The Flashes have dominated in the postseason and are two wins away from yet another state championship. They play at 12:30 p.m. in the state semifinals Friday in Akron.

Michael moved around the diamond too. He pitched and played shortstop before a summer-league coach suggested he try catcher because of his arm strength. He was invited to an invitation-only showcase scrimmage at Kent State University and did well despite just recently making the transition to behind the plate. He is now one of the pillars for the Golden Flashes baseball team, which also in the state semifinals, playing at 10 a.m. Thursday in Columbus.

While genetics may play a role in their success, so does hard work.

Brian, Megan and Michael meet on a daily basis to hit. This comes after they go from school to practice and often times to the gym as well. It’s the life they chose, and one that makes everyone happy.

“They did it on their own” Brian said. “I’ve always told them, ‘You chase your dreams, not mine because you’ve got to do your thing. Whatever it is, I’ll be there for you.’ I’ve enjoyed it. It’s been a great run. I’m actually sad my son’s graduating.”

Michael isn’t going far. He’s looking forward to Kent State, and where he goes from there is anyone’s guess. The majors? It’s a possibility, as Kent State possesses a nationally recognized baseball program that has sent numerous players to the professional level.

Brian admits even he’s a little impressed by his son’s talent.

“He’s better than I was,” Brian said. “I had a little more power than he does, but he hits for average — he’s got better hand-eye coordination and a better arm than I did. He’s got a shot. He’s just got to work hard.”

Megan plans on blazing her own path at Kent, too. She’s already one of the state’s premier power hitters — her 13 homers are just five off the state record — but she’ll have to catch her teammate, freshman Allison Smith, who has 17 home runs. Megan has another year to develop before joining her brother in Kent.

College is when Brian said both of his children will find out their true passion for the sport.

“It’s easy to enjoy (sports) when you’re being successful,” Brian said. “Now, when they get to a point where they’re really failing, that’s when they’ll find out where the love is for the sport.

“Once you get that far, it’s on them. Like I told them, ‘It’s on you guys. We’ll find out if you love the game when you’re failing and no one’s there watching. Do you love it enough to keep working?’ There’s no guarantees.”

Dad hopes they have fun either way, just like he did.

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