For Grace Socha Sanders, building relationships is key part of her job. Creating an environment where teamwork and communication come together has been a skill she's developed since her time on the Plains with the Auburn equestrian program, and it's grown into a talent that helps do her job at a high level.
Socha Sanders was member of the program's two conference titles (2010, 2011) and part of the 2011 national championship squad. Following her time as a student-athlete, she moved into a graduate assistant position with the team. Throughout her experiences on the Plains, Auburn provided many moments for her to grow as a person and gave her an opportunity to work at one of the nation's top athletic leagues – the Southeastern Conference.
The All-American originally from Glenville, N.Y. spent time to talk about her years on the Plains and what life looks like for someone working in the SEC.
Years competed: 2008-12
Major: Health Promotions
Current job: Assistant Director for Football Administration at the Southeastern Conference.
Q: Talk about the time you spent here at Auburn and what it was like being on the team.
A: Before I got to Auburn, I rode all over the country with different trainers. When I got to Auburn, it was the first time that I ever felt that a place could be home. And I really didn't want to ride in college. But on my recruiting trip, I stepped on the Plains and realized that this was where I was going to live. Going to Camp War Eagle and meeting some of my future teammates really helped solidify that I had made the best decision. There were a lot of great days and sometimes hard days but having the camaraderie of the team and being able to meet other people was truly special. I think that was probably my favorite thing that I learned at Auburn. Cultivating and building relationships and meeting new people that had completely different backgrounds than you did. We all came together and just loved being at Auburn.
What did the term Auburn Family mean to you while you were a student-athlete and how has it evolved over the years away from the Plains?
This is definitely feels cliché, but you never felt alone on campus. Even now when my husband and I are traveling all over the place, we'll see someone at the airport with an Auburn sweatshirt on and we immediately know that we have a friend. Auburn brings a sense of family and community. Being a part of the Auburn Family means you automatically have something in common with another person and a joint feeling of something greater than yourself. I love everything about it.
We all know about Greg's 'plant a seed for a tree you won't shade under' spiel. How have you seen that play out during your time on the team to where the program is now?
When you're on the team, it's hard to see into the future that far because you're living in the moment. We knew about all these great plans and ideas that Greg Williams and the staff had for the program, but knew they were out of grasp at the time. My mom, sister and I visited the barn in June because I hadn't seen it completely built. All I could hear was Greg's words in my brain while we were there. These are the seeds that myself and my teammates planted. We loved the experience we had at Auburn and no, we didn't have a big, beautiful barn and amazing facilities. But from where we are sitting, we wouldn't have traded our experience in for anything. What we're seeing out at the facility is incredible - for the girls on the team, for the sport and for the school. It's neat to see the contributions that my teammates and I put in help all this growth come to fruition. We may not have been able to enjoy it as student-athletes, but that's ok. We still take so much pride in where the program is today.
Talk about your current position with the SEC and how did you get to this point in your career?
My current job is an Assistant Director for Football Administration at the conference office. I work mainly with our football officials and help run that program. I like to say that my boss is the brains and I'm the brawn. He comes up with everything and I make it happen. This all came to me from Meredith Jenkins and Greg Williams. The job came across Meredith's desk and she called Greg asking if this was something I would be interested in because it sounds like me. He called me and sent the description to me. After I interviewed, I thought to myself that this was too good to be true. I now work with between 100 to 160 football officials, and nothing prepared me more for this job than being a graduate assistant with the equestrian team. Wrangling and managing a group of 40 girls translated well to doing the same with 160 men. The biggest thing I love about my job is meeting new people. I love picking up the phone and calling somebody that I've never really talked to before. Being a graduate assistant for Greg tested me constantly. He would think of things to see if I could make it happen. And that is how my job works now. I just love meeting people and organizing people together. Give me a task and I want to get it done.
How did Auburn prepare you to be so successful away from the equestrian world?
Because there was a sense of family and a sense of community, Auburn gave me that opportunity to meet all these different people and learn how to communicate with others. Auburn was a massive playground for people to meet and connect and to have relationships that they wouldn't normally have had. And going back to the Auburn Creed, the emphasis on hard work really resonated with me. That and believing in something and keeping those morals and those values. Auburn also allowed me to take risks, but to also stay humble and true to myself. It helped me make sure that I'm always learning and growing and changing.
What is some advice you would give to those on the team right now and those that are coming in the future?
Take time and enjoy it. Do not wish your college years away. I get emotional just thinking about it. That was the best four years of my life. There are days where it's so hard and you want to take a step back. Everyone has those moments. Auburn is so worth it, and your team is so worth it. I can't thank Auburn and the team enough for the experiences I had. You learn so much about yourself while you're here. I'm so glad that I had the opportunity to go through those hard moments that will come in college because they really did make me stronger. So, to all those on the team now, don't wish any of it away. Remember that you can't go back after it's over. Enjoy it. Make sure you make your teammates your top priority. They are your family.
