Auburn athletic director talks about developing Auburn athletes at chamber luncheon

The Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce had a special guest speak at its monthly luncheon. 

Auburn athletic director Allen Greene spoke to chamber members about developing and working with student athletes as well as how to make them “well-rounded individuals” on Tuesday, May 10 at Vestavia Country Club. 

Greene said he and Greg Byrne, athletic director for The University of Alabama, who he has a great working relationship with, have the same ideas about how to properly and effectively develop great athletes and people. 

“One of the things that’s important to both of us is holistic development and understanding that part of our responsibilities as administrators, as really educators, is to make sure that our student athletes have a great opportunity to have success in the classroom, in competition and most importantly making sure that they are well rounded individuals so that they can contribute to their communities wherever they land after Auburn,” Greene said. 

Holistic development means Auburn is “making Auburn men and Auburn women at every opportunity,” Greene said, and the athletic department utilizes sports as a way to do so. 

Greene said around 500 student athletes on Auburn’s campus have the “ultimate experience.” Athletes have the opportunity to engage with several coaches and athletic trainers, mental health experts, academic advisors and mentors that “pour into them each and every day,” he said. 

Athletes are also able to fly on charter flights and have “preferential registration,” he said. 

“Whenever a student athlete talks about their experience or how it may not be what they want, or maybe they want more, I remind them that there are 27,500 students on this campus who don’t have leadership opportunities each and every day, who don't have a chance to utilize their athletic ability, their mental toughness, their emotional fortitude to pursue excellence on the field and courts," Greene said.

Greene said he thinks about the gymnastics team at Auburn and the hard work they give towards their success. 

“Most people think about Suni Lee because she’s an All-Around Olympian,” Greene said. “Well, there are other student athletes on our team who work just as hard as she does, who are almost, almost, just as talented as she is. To watch them go through their routines and to watch their bodies ache and to listen to their joints crack, their back pain, feet pain and ankle pain, you start to have an appreciation for all that our student athletes go through.”

Greene said people tend to see student athletes as people representing their favorite institutions instead of 18 to 22 year olds.

He recalled an interaction he had with Jabari Smith, a star basketball player for the Tigers.

“I ran into him in our academic services building and he was working with his academic counselor to work on his strategy to prepare for finals,” Greene said. “This is after the season. He has no more athletic responsibilities, he knows he’s going to the NBA, he knows he’s a lottery draft pick, he knows I’m going to ask him for money in about 10 days but nevertheless, he was still focused. I was talking to his academic advisor about this and Jabari was standing right next to me, and she was complimenting him on how great of a person he is. She said ‘I only wish that people could see Jabari Smith out of uniform and see him where he is today.’ When I talk about leveraging sports to be better people, I truly mean it.”