AUBURN, Ala. - Auburn men's golf seniors Graysen Huff and Jovan Rebula have traveled over a combined 10,000 miles to return to the Plains for their senior swansong.
Huff hails from nearly 2,000 miles away; Eagle, Idaho is where he calls home. Rebula is a native of George, South Africa, a city that is over 8,000 miles from Auburn.
No distance was enough to keep either student-athlete from returning to Auburn for one final season, however. Both men wish to leave Auburn with success and championships to their name, but value the change and hope they can bring off the golf course the most.
"We'd like to leave here with a bang," Huff says. "I'd love to get another ring, maybe two, and I think we have a good opportunity for that this year, but we feel that it's not necessarily what or how we do on the course that we'd like to be remembered by. Yeah, we want to win a national championship and earn all these accolades that people will remember years down the road, but being known as good people and guys with integrity is what we would really be proud of."
Rebula reiterated the statement and explained how he wishes that his legacy extends beyond the scorecard.
"I don't necessarily want to be remembered too much by my golfing achievements, but if I can be remembered as a guy who was always benefitting the team on and off the golf course, I would love that," Rebula says.
He adds, "All of us over here at Auburn grow as human beings. Having people in your life that want to push you far, not only in athletics, but also as people, has been something that has impressed me a ton."
Both seniors have garnered a slew of accomplishments over the course of their careers but wish to work toward making an impact on the golf program and the community as men with outstanding character rather than skilled athletes.
"I like the idea of thinking that what I do now has ripple effects for people who are going to come to Auburn and maybe be on the golf team three to five years from now or possibly further on than that," Huff says.
Huff and Rebula both value the community service aspect that comes with having a platform. Both have first-hand experience in giving back and have witnessed how easily kindness can change lives.
The cause close to Huff's heart? Uplifting at-risk children and mentoring the younger generations.
Huff says, "I like trailblazing and helping those who are going to come behind me. I feel like community service is a good way to do that."
He adds, "When I first came in, I did a lot of work with the Jason Dufner Foundation. They do a lot of packing school lunches in areas with at-risk kids who may not get food on the weekends or just don't have access to as much food. I helped with a lot of packing and shipping of those lunches and even got to help deliver some of them."
Huff enjoys giving back not only to the Lee County community, but also to his native community in Idaho where his journey began.
"Over the summer when I would go back home and visit, I did a lot of camps for junior golfers in the area, trying to get some of the younger generations involved in golf, hoping that they will love the game as much as I do."
In addition to working with the Jason Dufner foundation and independently hosting camps for young golfers in Idaho, Huff has also been able to partner with the university through one of his classes to offer leadership training and career/college advice for sophomores at Notasulga High School.
"It makes me feel like that kid who got the lunch I packed or the one that I helped out at a camp that day will do something big or become someone like the next senator, governor, or leader in some fashion and just that idea that I had a little factor into steering that kid into the right direction and making their life better is just the way I look at community service," Huff concludes.
Rebula also values community service and giving back, but his focus lies somewhere else.
Autism awareness is what lays on the mind of Rebula, having a cousin who was diagnosed with the condition when he was born.
Rebula's uncle, Ernie Els, is the father of Ben Neels Els, the cousin that continuously inspires Rebula to promote the cause. In 2009, the Els family started their own program to uplift those affected by the condition.
"It's really cool that my uncle opened up the Els Center of Excellence down in Jupiter, Florida. It's something that has been really amazing to visit the school and see what they do down there," Rebula says.
"I try to promote it as much as I can. The Els School for Autism has been something that's been stuck to my mind for a good bit. I've logoed it on my golf shoes and stamped it on my wedges and things like that, trying to get the emphasis on them," Rebula adds. "I don't really know if people see it, but just getting the word out there for the program can do some good."
He says, "With all the resources that this university has, you never know where people can help out. It's worth someone reading and seeing how they can help out if they can."
Both men have managed to be excellent examples of top-tier student-athletes while simultaneously playing for a cause that is bigger than themselves during their career on the Plains.
They will take to the fairways these fall and spring seasons with much more than tournament titles on their minds. Each stroke now means more and each conversation had will have the ability to enlighten someone ten thousand miles away. Looking forward, both wish to solidify a legacy for themselves that is more than trophies and awards.
Rebula closes, "As long as I can leave here a better man than I was when I arrived, that would complete one of the biggest goals I have for myself, and I think Auburn has provided me the opportunity to do that."
More information on the Dufner Foundation: https://www.jasondufnerfoundation.com/volunteer
More information on Els For Autism: https://www.elsforautism.org/get-involved/