Clipping is legal at Clemson facility's barbershop

Scott Keepfer
The Greenville News
Haircare specialist Tyler Barton laughs as she cuts Hunter Renfrow's hair in the barber shop inside Clemson’s Allen N. Reeves Football Complex on Tuesday, September 29, 2017.

CLEMSON – When Tyler Barton first cut Dabo Swinney’s hair a few years ago, she had no idea who he was.

So she asked.

“You don’t know who he is?” asked one of her co-workers at a Clemson hair salon.

“No,” Barton said. “Am I supposed to?”

That’s when the head football coach at Clemson chimed in.

“It’s OK,” he said, laughing. “My name’s Dabo.”

Rest assured that Barton knows all about Dabo now; she has been the hair care specialist at the barbershop inside Clemson’s Allen N. Reeves Football Complex since March.

“He offered me the job over here, and it was a better opportunity,” Barton said. “This is a dream job.”

A unique one as well. Barton said that Swinney got the idea for a full-time barber from a Major League Baseball team and decided to follow suit with the opening of the school's state-of-the-art $55 million facility last February.

The barbershop is one of many amenities in the new football complex, which also includes a basketball court, miniature golf course, two-lane bowling alley, golf simulator, nap room, dining facilities, locker rooms and a 23,000-square foot weight room.

Clemson is the only football program in the country with a full-time hair care specialist on staff, although Barton says she has heard that "another school is looking into it."

In the meantime, she's enjoying being the first. 

A Pendleton High graduate who's a native of West Philadelphia, Pa., the 25-year-old Barton has a steady clientele base between Clemson coaches and their families, members of the football staff and 100 or so players.

Haircuts are a bargain at $10 a pop, and players are responsible for paying, lest compliance come calling.

"We have to keep a record of everything to ensure the players aren't getting anything for free," Barton said.

On this day, she was providing a “game day” haircut for wide receiver Hunter Renfrow. As she clipped and trimmed, they discussed dogs – small and large, black Labs, chocolate Labs, expensive dogs and not-so-expensive dogs.

Barton cut, clipped and trimmed, talking and smiling all the while.

“I'm still learning everybody's name, but I know all their faces," Barton said. "I get to know the players off the field, so I'm a fan of them personally.

“Some of them were pretty standoffish at first – they had to get used to me being here and used the barbershop being here. It’s such a unique place to have in a facility for football, but now everybody is used to me being here.”

Including her two children, 3-year-old daughter Ariana, and 1-year-old son, Voni.

“They love coming here and they love Coach Swinney,” Barton said. “My daughter is obsessed with him. She never wants to go to school anymore; she just wants to come here. And once they’re here, they never want to leave.”

Mom is fairly entrenched, too, particularly for someone who never considered herself much of a sports fan. Up until a few weeks ago, she had never been to a Clemson football game; now she's found herself cheering wildly at both of the Tigers' home games this season.

Haircare specialist Tyler Barton cuts Hunter Renfrow's hair in the barber shop inside Clemson’s Allen N. Reeves Football Complex on Tuesday, September 29, 2017.

“It was so exciting and I was so close, right behind the players,” Barton said. “I took my daughter to the Auburn game, and we wore matching Clemson outfits. She loved it, and I loved how much she loved it. She loves her orange and purple.”

Barton also derives satisfaction from knowing that she’s responsible for the players looking their best on game day, even though her handiwork is covered by helmets much of the day.

“I just love hair, period,” she said. “I have my guys who come in on a weekly basis. The guys with shorter cuts, they come more often. I’ve learned every haircut possible, so I’m pretty comfortable with every type of hair, every texture, everything like that.”

There's no danger of her going unappreciated, particularly by her most frequent visitors – a group that includes offensive tackle Taylor Hearn, linebacker Dorian O’Daniel and wide receiver Tee Higgins.

“Taylor Hearn is always about getting his hair cut, every week,” Barton said. “Those guys want to look fresh.”

So, too, does the man who offered her the job.

“I always cut Dabo’s hair,” she said. “I’m very blessed that Coach Swinney chose me to work for him. He’s an amazing person.”

And she'll never have to ask his name again.