To Lance Haynie, recreation goes far beyond a few laps in the pool or a pickup basketball game.
As the associate director for programs in the Department of Recreational Sports, he takes his part in the Division of Student Affairs’ holistic approach to student health seriously.
“I’m a big believer in physical activity and movement helping to manage and balance your life. Working and helping facilitate that in others lets me live out what I believe and help others do the same,” Haynie said.
The mental aspect of movement means just as much as the physical aspect. According to Haynie, perhaps the most important thing participants gain from his programs is connection and the community they build.
Haynie knows from his own experience how valuable recreation programming can be in that respect. When he was in college at Texas A&M University, he developed a love for rock climbing. Through that sport, he made connections with people he might not have met otherwise.
“I always really enjoyed how recreation and sports and play broke down a lot of barriers between me and other people,” he said. “It allowed me to connect with others who I might not naturally connect with otherwise.”
That passion led to a position working for campus recreation at the University of Alabama, running its outdoor adventures programming. Haynie came to the University of Georgia in 2012 for an opportunity to work with a similar — and larger — program. After a couple of years in that role, he was named to his current position and is responsible for the department’s programming.
“In a nutshell, if you can sign up for it with Recreational Sports, then it’s in my line of responsibility,” he said.
From left, student workers Madalynn Franz and Rachel Smith talk with Lance Haynie at the front desk of the Ramsey Student Center. (Photo by Andrew Davis Tucker/UGA)
Haynie helps oversee programming in intramural sports, club sports and outdoor adventures. He meets regularly with the leads in those areas to go over any issues and talk through what’s coming. That communication becomes even more important when there are equipment and facilities to maintain and classes and programs to carry out for the 5,000-8,000 people using Ramsey Student Center per day at its peak.
In his 12 years with Recreational Sports, Haynie has seen the field evolve, and he and his team make a concerted effort to stay on top of trends. For example, the department currently has 18 pickleball courts, which Haynie said is among the highest for colleges and universities. They also regularly evaluate programs and adjust as needed, like offering a wide variety of virtual options during the COVID-19 pandemic, some of which are still available. To stay on top of that, data collection and reporting are part of Haynie’s responsibilities and are used to make decisions.
“We like to think that we’re in the business of creating opportunities for really fun memories,” he said.
Haynie enjoys the variety and unpredictability of his job. One day he might be in a fitness studio or on one of the fields, and the next might involve working with his member services team at the front desk. He also values being a mentor and support structure for his staff.
Haynie considers himself a “recreational butterfly” who still enjoys rock climbing and pickleball and dabbles in other sports. He also enjoys hunting and fishing and caring for the chickens, pigs and other animals on the small farm he has with this wife and two sons.
Haynie knows the value of physical activity in his own life and points out that recreational sports and the Ramsey Student Center are for faculty and staff, too.
“Everyone is welcome here, and we try to provide something for everyone,” he said. “RamFam is for everyone.”
