Recently retired Alabama Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban traded in his headset for a golf club at the Regions Tradition Pro-Am held in Alabama. His daughter, Kristen Saban, captured their day through an Instagram post.
Kristen also shared a video where Nick Saban’s interaction with his fans was captured. The video featured a relaxed Nick Saban, happily greeting fans and posing for pictures.
Two enthusiastic fans even scored hugs, while others documented the encounter with selfies and videos. Kristen recorded the video and shared it with everyone on Sunday.
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Nick Saban’s reputation as a champion coach precedes him. When he arrived at Alabama, he had already won a national championship title with LSU. Now, with retirement offering more free time, Saban can finally indulge in this love for golf.
The Regions Tradition Pro-Am culminated with Saban and Kalen DeBoer tying for third place. While the team score (a well-below-par 59!) might not reflect Saban’s personal skills (credit goes to the pros!), it highlights his enjoyment of the game.
This lighthearted outing even prompted a humorous remark from his fellow coach, Kalen DeBoer, who jokingly assured fans that Saban’s focus on football wouldn’t wane due to his newfound golfing freedom.
“The one thing I know is that the fans will never be worried about me playing too much golf and (not) focusing on football after they watch what happens today,” Deboer said before teeing off.
Nick Saban champions career development for players
Nick Saban is tackling a new challenge: ensuring his players’ success beyond the gridiron. During the Nick Kids Golf Tournament on Tuesday afternoon, Saban announced a collaborative program with the University of Alabama to equip student-athletes with the tools they need for flourishing careers after football.
This initiative recognizes that not all players will make it to the NFL. The program bridges that gap by leveraging the university’s existing resources and offering guidance for a smooth transition into post-playing careers.
“We are funding that to some degree. You know, when players get finished with playing, they aren’t done with me. We have so many great resources to help these guys move on to the next career. That’s something we want to get organized and do a better job of. Projects like that, I’ve never had a chance to do that.”
Saban, along with his wife Terry and UA’s Molly Dowd, is spearheading this effort, to the well-being of his players even after their time on the field is over.
