Auburn senior Jake Yohn didn’t just choose the referee life — he inherited it.
“I’ve always felt at home here, just really enjoy the campus, the people and what Auburn's all about,” said Yohn.
As a student assistant in Auburn’s competitive sports program, the Montgomery, AL native is responsible for daily operations, as well as officiating intramural and club sports games.
Wearing the referee stripes runs in the family. His father David held the same position at Auburn back in the 80’s.
“It’s been cool to do the whole full-circle family thing,” Yohn said.
Today’s collegiate competitive sports aren’t your daddy’s pickup flag football — they’re faster, fiercer and on a whole different level. This rise in popularity has given campus recreation departments increasing value among students and stakeholders.
“Honestly, I saw the Sportsplex facility when I first came and visited and the ability to offer competitive sports there is really what sold me,” said Keegan Ashbee, who arrived at Auburn five years ago to become the director of competitive sports.
Auburn’s recreational facilities are second to none. The 240,000 square-foot Recreation and Wellness Center has a 1/3-mile indoor track, two 50-foot climbing towers, six basketball courts, weight and cardio spaces, group fitness studios, a leisure pool, tennis and racquetball courts, and more. The Sportsplex and intramural fields offer more than 15 acres of lighted green space, multipurpose fields, two softball fields, and sand volleyball courts. There’s also Auburn Outdoors where students can rent tents, bikes, kayaks and sleeping bags for adventures in nature.
“We give tours daily – it’s a major stop on the college tour process,” Ashbee said.
Auburn has more than 40 intramural sports, everything from flag football and basketball to sand volleyball, soccer and more. There are 44 club sports, including baseball, bass fishing, ice hockey, lacrosse, pickleball, rowing and ultimate frisbee, to name a few.
Participation in Auburn’s competitive sports program is open to all currently enrolled students, regardless of skill level. Emerging technologies like digital group fitness management tools and live steaming of championship games are elevating intramural and club sport popularity. Last year, almost a quarter of Auburn’s student population participated in intramural and club sports.
For Ashbee, it’s about more than just the game. The Delaware native’s main role is hiring, training and developing employees and student assistants like Yohn to run programs in the evenings - and help them see success both on and off the field.
“I can highlight student after student and their personal growth,” said Ashbee. “They go from keeping to themselves to being out front and leading."
Yohn, a political science major, is one of about 100 students employed by the Rec Center.
“It's such a unique job that teaches you so much,” said Yohn. “You learn how to talk to people, how to make connections and really just empathy.”
The Rec Center also offers about 80 group fitness classes each week, including Tiger Pump, yoga, Cycle 45 and more.
“If you're new to fitness, we've got personal trainers, wellness coaches and class instructors that can help you,” explained Ashbee.
Ashbee says the Rec Center’s website is your one-stop-shop for getting in the game!
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