Newspapers / The Guilfordian (Greensboro, N.C.) / Sept. 12, 1997, edition 1 / Page 16
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The Guilfordian September 12, 1997 Football BY JESSE LAPLANTE Staff Writer It's fall again, and while that may mean a new must-see t.v lineup to some, to others this season holds the hope of a new beginning. A time to rise up and face past challenges and blaze new trails. Yes, folks, it is, once again the time of college football, and no one on this campus knows this more than the football team. After finishing with a record of 3-6 last fall, the Quakers are ready to put past shortcomings behind then and move into this season with a positive and effective game plan. Just what is that gameplan, you might ask? The answer is teamwork. This year the Quakers are going to turn heads because of one simple fact: they know they are a team. Just ask head coach Mike Ketchum. In his seventh year as head coach, Ketchum understands the importance of being a team. He at tributes communication and coop eration to being a succesful team, despite what the records might say. "This is the closest team I have seen since 1991," says Ketchum. That year the football team finished with a record of 8-2, and if team unity is as tight as it is estimated to be they could be headed for that kind of success again. Aside from success on the field, Ketchum wants his players to under stand that being part of a team that is close has several benefits, more Ultimate craze hits school and nation BY DAN GAIT I Sports Editor Two years ago, at the start of Guilford Ultimate, the founders were concerned about just having enough people to field a full team. Last year, the team had only 35 members-only slightly more then is nessasary to field one com petitive team. So everyone was stunned this year, when almost ten percent of Guilford's student body-more then one hundred players-signed up to play Guilford College Ulti mate, making Ultimate Frisbee the most popular club on campus. But this recent surge in inter est in Ultimate should be no sur prise to Ultimate players. Over the past 5 years, Ultimate has gone from an inane activity played pe riodically at camps or retreats to a major sport and symbol of our team has high hopes j ■ 1 . p , v Dan Strelkauskas and the Quakers are looking forward to the Methodist game prevalent than just winning. Pride, companionship, and strong sense of personal accomplishment are just some of the lessons Ketchum hopes to instill in all his players, regardless of wins or losses. Ketchum wants all of his players to understand how im portant their role is, no matter how big or small, and, if he has done that, then the team is a success. The players can feel the sense of team unity also and are anticipat ing the time when it will come to gether in their first game. Senior Junior Lord, who plays wide receiver, feels that team unity is about the same as it has been the past few years, but that the vast amount of experience the team has is what will generation. What is so exciting and amaz ing about Ultimate is that it's much more then a game. It's an ideol ogy. Through the organization of Ultimate and the attitudes of Ulti mate players, the entire game has built an aura around R of hard work, dedication, and above all, integrity. The most obvious sign of the incredibly strong respect Ultimate players show to the game is the way they call fouls and violations. Ulti mate has no referees or umpires; every player, upon seeing a viola tion, calls it for themselves, and because all players have such trust for each other's respect for the game, that call is respected. Could you imagine such a system in the NBA? Tempers and feuds would erupt after every call; no game could get through a single quarter Sports without a fistfight. And the rea son is that Ultimate players truly have more respect for the game then they do for competition. Which is not to say Ultimate players aren't competitive. Far from it; in fact, good-natured, pas sionate competition is a key ele ment in the Ultimate philosophy. The game lends itself well to a com petitive, gritty atmosphere, since you're always on the run and pe- pull them through the season. "Freshman year was a lot tighter team," Lord says, further explaining " We all came into together and just played ball. There were no expecta tions on any of us, so we could just get out there and play." Another wide receiver, senior William Rochelle, says that he feels comfortable playing with this team because, " We all know what we can do, because we have played together for a long time." Summing up the feelings shared by the offense, senior quarterback Danny Strelkauskas added this: " Basically what is going to help us be a good team is that all skill positions on offense have played together for The Guilfordian 5800 W. Friendly Ave. 17717 Founders Hall Greensboro, NC 27410 The ticket Football Saturday, 1:30 Women's Soccer Sunday, 2:00 Women's Soccer Wednesday, 4:00 four years . We have a lot of talent." Stelkauskas also attributed much tal ent to the younger offensive line, say ing they would be the key to running a good offense. On the defensive side of the team, the feelings are just as strong. Junior Scott Sinclair, who plays de fensive end, says "I can't speak for the offense but the defense is a lot closer this year." Sinclair points out that experience and support from incoming freshmen is what has made the defense so strong in the pre-sea son and hopes to keep the energy going throughout the regular season. Adding to what Sinclair said, se nior linebacker Chris Li is excited with the way the defense is shaping up. "We communicate well to gether," says Li who says the defense is ready to step up and be a force to be reckoned with. "We will not go quietly into the night," said Junior Humberto Padilla, who is also ready to face the challenges lying ahead. Offering a newcomer's view to the team is freshman Jeff Turner, who plays free safety. " I've never played on a team this tight," Turner said, showing his enthusiasm for the team. If the attitudes of the coach and players are any indication of the up co'ming season it should be a very exciting one indeed. Come watch as the Quakers begin their season against Methodist College on Satur day, September 13th at 1:30 P.M. riodically, you have to dive ("lay out") to catch a pass. Laying out is key to the Ulti mate philosophy; it's the ultimate sign of dedication and passion for the game. One Ultimate player even went so far as to say "if, at the end of the game, you can still tell what color shirt you're wear ing, it hasn't been a real game." Non-profit organization US Postage PAID Permit No. 57 Greensboro, NC
The Guilfordian (Greensboro, N.C.)
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