Auburn baseball's 'CEO': Sara Elizabeth Jackson's role goes beyond the title
If you want to know how Auburn baseball really works, you have to know Sara Elizabeth Jackson.
Jackson serves as the special assistant to the head coach.
鈥淥ther duties as assigned is how I would describe my role,鈥� Jackson said.
From coordinating the team's travel plans to setting up pre- and postgame meals, Jackson does it all for the Tigers. Head coach Butch Thompson feels her title doesn't fully convey all the work she does.
鈥淚 don't love the title special assistant to the head coach, more accurate would be special assistant to everybody in the organization would be a better title. I call her our "CEO", our chief energy officer,鈥� Thompson said.
It's a role that just fell into place for Jackson. She started working with the program as a member of Diamond Dolls. Then by her senior year, she worked in the baseball office.
鈥淚 obviously had a love of baseball, but I was not, it wasn鈥檛 something that I was like I鈥檓 going to turn this into you know what I do,鈥� Jackson said.
However, as her senior year came to a close she and her friends started looking for jobs, she asked to stay on.
鈥淲ould you guys need help? Would you want office help? Would you want things like that, and they were like, yeah, sure. Coach Thompson was like, 'Sure kid, let鈥檚 go,'鈥� Jackson said.
Coach Thompson and the Tigers obliged.
鈥淚 just got a sense and a feel of like man, she鈥檚 got it. She has something special, and that can absolutely make a difference,鈥� Thompson said.
Ever since, she's made the difference that Thompson thought she would.
鈥淭o basically be a face of our program externally for our stakeholders, for our fans. But then also the difference she tries to make for our players,鈥� Thompson said.
Giving Auburn what it gave to her.
鈥淭his is probably the happiest I鈥檝e ever been in my life. It鈥檚 a really, really good place,鈥� Jackson said.
Great friends and a strong community.
鈥淭he kind of people that you meet through this program have been awesome whether that鈥檚 like our administration, whether that鈥檚 our coaches, our families, our players, their families. That鈥檚 kind of been the best part for me,鈥� Jackson said.
Most of all, a place she calls home.
鈥淚 kind of always say, too, it鈥檚 not necessarily what you do, it鈥檚 how it makes you feel, and this place has made me feel awesome,鈥� Jackson said.