< Previous8 PLA YER DEVEL OPMENT CENTER ‘DIFFERENCE-MAKER’: AUBURN SOFTBALL OPENS HEIM PLAYER DEVELOPMENT CENTER With rain falling on a January afternoon, Auburn softball coach Mickey Dean watches a pitcher practice while discussing the facility that’s keeping him and his student- athlete dry during their training session. “Good movement,” he says, complimenting the student-athlete on her latest pitch. Dean stands inside the brand new 11,000-squre-foot Gregg E. Heim Player Development Center, complete with six batting tunnels, a netting system, a team meeting space, pitching machines, LED lighting and the clay pitching circle from where Dean observes. “It’s had a huge impact because we’re able to bring our hitters in in the mornings now so they can really focus on hitting and the weather is not a factor, so they can get out here and focus on what they’re doing,” he said. “Our pitchers can get in and use the mound area and our infielders can take ground balls.” Rainy afternoons and frigid winter mornings? Not a problem anymore. “When you’re working on something, it’s difficult to stay focused sometimes, even if it’s not raining but if it’s cold, especially in the mornings,” Dean said. “It opens up time for our players and it also allows them to work on the things they need to work on without having to worry about the weather elements. “Of course, there are times you want to train in those elements because you’ve got to play in those elements, but you also have to have that time where you can just focus on you and not have to worry about those outside elements. That’s very, very beneficial.” The new facility proved instantly popular with Auburn’s softball student-athletes. “They’re excited because they understand what a difference-maker it is for them to be able to work on themselves,” he said. “We have tons of TVs and video monitors. It’s user friendly. They can come in and all they need is someone to hold a cell phone and they can watch themselves on video on the TVs. It’s very powerful for us right now.” Not only will the facility help develop current student-athletes, it will help Auburn recruit future Tigers. “It looks great on social media,” Dean said. “Any time you put in something that allows a student-athlete to enhance their development as a player it’s going to draw the attention of recruits because they want to get better. This really expands that.” Gregg Heim graduated from Auburn University in 1965 in business administration. He served in the Army Reserve and enjoyed a distinguished insurance career for Liberty National. He loved Auburn, and when he passed away in 2019, his seven-figure estate gift, along with donations from other softball supporters, funded the facility that bears Heim’s name.10 PLA YER DEVEL OPMENT CENTER “Without donors, you really don’t have this level of college athletics,” Dean said. “Donors are the lifeblood of your program. They are so much appreciated, whatever the amount given. When we receive an amount such as this, it has a tremendous impact on our program, on our university, even on our community because, you think about the things that we’ll be allowed to do once we get through the pandemic, we can open up this facility for kids in the region to come and do camps and clinics. It has a huge impact. “Sometimes it’s really hard to understand the impact that it has not just on your program but on the community as a whole. We truly appreciate it. I feel badly because of the COVID and the pandemic because our donors weren’t here to see our players’ eyes and the excitement when we opened the facility up for them. There was a lot of excitement.” Fueled by their new facility and the hunger that resulted from the 2020 season ending prematurely, Auburn opens the 2021 season at home against Southeast Missouri State on Feb. 12. “We have a lot of new faces,” Dean said. “Our team is excited for people to see them and to see the results of the work they’ve put in. “With this facility, it allows us to not have to continue to change our practice times so randomly because of weather. We have might have to change it by a half-hour but it’s not like we have to change it by six hours. It helps our athletes stay in a good rhythm. We seem to be in a pretty good rhythm at this point.”12 C O VID-19 SAFETY JANE B. MOORE FIELD CAPACITY • In accordance with current state health COVID-19 guidelines, Jane B. Moore Field capacity will be reduced to approximately 20% to begin the 2021 season. • Available seats will be arranged in groups of two and four with 6 feet of distancing between each block of seats. Unavailable seats will be marked accordingly. • There will be no aisle seats available for any section. • Ticket holders will be assigned seats. • Students will be provided general admission and will sit in sections 101-102. • Student tickets will be first come first served with a valid ignited card. CLEANING & SANITIZING MEASURES • Enhanced cleaning and sanitization procedures throughout Jane B. Moore prior to and during all games will be in effect for the 2021 season. • All cleaning and disinfection products have been certified by the Environmental Protection Agency or the Centers for Disease Control for disinfection of COVID-19. • Fan and operational areas will be thoroughly cleaned and sanitized prior to gameday. • Hand sanitizer stations will be strategically placed in restrooms, elevators and throughout the park. • All athletics department workspaces will be supplied with hand sanitizer, disinfectant spray and wipes to clean game day workspaces frequently. PARKING & TAILGATING • for the most up-to-date softball parking map. • Fans are encouraged to park in Biggio Drive and McWhorter Center. • To access, you’ll need a state tag and photo id of the owner of the registered tag. The owner must be present to be obtain access to accessible parking. • In accordance with CDC and state and local guidelines, tailgating will not be permitted on campus for the 2021 season. ARRIVAL AND GATE ENTRY • Gates for softball open 90 minutes prior to each game. • Physical distance signage and markings will be placed at all entry gates. • Students will be required to show a green screen from the app before entering the arena. • Ticket holders and working staff will have their temperature read prior to entering. • Bags should not exceed 12”x 6”x 12” • Hand sanitizer stations will be strategically placed throughout Jane B. Moore Field. PHYSICAL DISTANCING & FACE COVERINGS • Face coverings (over the nose and mouth) will be required for all upon entry and while inside the park. Full up-to-date information on Jane B. Moore Field policies, digital ticketing, concessions and more can be found on the softball gameday page.13 C O VID-19 SAFETY • Guests may remove face coverings while actively eating or drinking. • Stadium workers and athletics staff will wear face coverings at all times. • Directional signage, stanchions, and barriers will be installed to facilitate six- foot physical distance at entry gates, concourse pathways, concessions and merchandise queues and seating areas. • Event staff will assist in directing ticket holders through appropriate routes to seating areas, concession stands and restrooms. • Available seats will be arranged in groups of two and four with 6 feet of distancing between each block of seats. Unavailable seats will be marked accordingly. • Physical distancing will be maintained throughout the facility to the fullest extent possible. TOUCHLESS EXPERIENCE • Jane B. Moore will provide for contactless transactions, including digital ticketing, digital scanning of tickets at entry gates and self-swiping of credit cards at concessions and merchandise outlets. • All transactions for concessions, merchandise and tickets will be contactless and cashless (credit cards only). • The Auburn University Athletics Ticket Office announced digital only ticketing, enabling contactless entry into all venues beginning with the 2020 football season. The shift to digital only ticketing provides a safer environment for fans, and guards against the production of fraudulent tickets. • Auburn Athletic Ticket Office personnel will be located at the Jane B. Moore Ticket Office to assist ticket holders on gameday. • For additional information on digital tickets, click • Ticket purchasers will receive their tickets via email, allowing for download to Apple Wallet (iPhone) or Google Pay Wallet (Android). Prior to arriving at the arena, fans will simply open their digital wallet. • Be sure to the official Auburn gameday app. Available in the app store and Google play, the Auburn gameday app features access to free live audio, real-time social streams, interactive stadium maps, scoreboards, stats, gameday programs and much more. CONCESSIONS & AU TEAM SHOP • Operating under SEC, state and local health guidelines, a limited selection of food items will be available for sale in addition to bottled water and Coca-Cola products. All condiments will be pre-packaged. • Floor markings will allow spectators to form a physically distanced queue for concession and merchandise stands, with registers fitted with a plexiglass screen. • Concessions and merchandise staff will wear facial covering at all times. • Hand sanitizer will be available for staff and spectators at concessions and merchandise stands. • All transactions for concessions and merchandise locations at Jane B. Moore will be contactless and cashless (credit/debit and Tiger Cards only). • Get your officially licensed Auburn gear at Auburn Athletics officials remind fans plans for 2021 are subject to change before and during the season along with changes to public-health guidelines related to the spread of COVID-19. Please continue to check for the latest updates. Please continue to visit Auburn University’s A Healthier U website at for the latest information on COVID-19.DONATE TODAY To help mitigate the financial challenges of COVID-19, we are asking members of the Auburn Family who are not current season ticket holders to Believe in Auburn by making a tax-deductible donation. Each gift to Tigers Unlimited provides invaluable support for Auburn student-athletes and will have a direct positive impact towards their ability to success in the classroom, in their respective sports, and in the community as a whole. Tigers Unlimited contributions through the Believe in Auburn campaign will go towards funding critically important student-athlete support, including scholarships, academic support services, and athletic training and nutrition. Thanks to our Tigers Unlimited members and season ticket buyers, Auburn’s 550 student-athletes in 21 sports continue to have everything they need – scholarships, coaching, facilities, nutrition, sports medicine, academic support and mental health services – to compete at the highest level while becoming Auburn women and men. To manage the financial impact of COVID-19, we are evaluating every expense while seeking to preserve the unparalleled student-athlete experience for which Auburn is renowned. Next >