By Keon Edington and Jacqueline Arroyo / Jambar Contributors
13 years after the Watson and Tressel Training Site opened, the facility continues to provide the public and Youngstown State University community with numerous indoor amenities.
The plan for the facility was announced in 2007 and came with a $1 million donation from former YSU President Jim Tressel, his wife Ellen Watson Tressel and their families. It officially opened in fall of 2011.
Matt Rollins, assistant athletic director for facilities, has been with YSU since August 2013. Since then, he’s been promoted from overseeing athletic schedules to managing setups for events, overseeing renovations and handling day-to-day operations of the facility.
Rollins said the WATTS added a putting green upstairs and two new golf simulators for the YSU men’s and women’s golf teams.
“The golf simulators were just installed this summer,” Rollins said. “This time of year the courses are all wet. The only place they can kind of get a true visual for that is our putting green and our simulators.”
Tony Joy, head coach of the YSU men’s golf team, said the simulators help golfers improve their accuracy and distance, although team practices include specialized drills. Players can also use the simulators on their own.
“It’s a $20,000 computer that analyzes a [players] swing,” Joy said. “It computes exactly how far that ball is going to go [and] what direction it’s going to turn. To have that on the field is great.”
Joy said the availability of the WATTS is a game changer, as the team can stay competitive against programs that practice year-round in warmer weather.
As the simulator has become an integral part of the golf program, Joy said it has helped attract players to YSU.
“When you’re recruiting in competition with other Division I schools-especially in Ohio, that’s what they’re looking for is the facility,” Joy said. “Our facilities are just getting better.”
Ryan Sam, a junior on the men’s golf team, has spent three years with the program. In that time, he has earned several accolades, including one of the lowest true-freshman averages in 15 years, YSU Scholar-Athlete of the week and a high finish in the 2024 Horizon League conference tournament.
Sam said he’s used golf simulators at other facilities that analyze a player’s strike and swing, but he’s excited to have access to one at YSU during the winter.
“Setting up the system is very easy, and it allows us to look at data and numbers on a much closer level. This all leads to enhanced performance in our golf game,” Sam said.
The public can access the simulators during team-hosted events, such as open sessions at the WATTS. This allows non-YSU personnel to use modern equipment while ensuring that teams oversee proper computer use.
The team will continue using the facility until mid-March or April, depending on the weather and golf course conditions. The men’s golf season continues Feb. 24, when it travels to St. Augustine, Florida, to compete in the World Golf Village Collegiate.