SPORTS
Core values, testimonies influence atiiietics at Guitforii
NOVEMBER 18, 2011
By Charlotte Cloyd
Staff Writer
"Are you honest and truthful in all you
say and do? Do you maintain strict integrity
in business transactions and in your dealings
with individuals and organizations?"
The Guilford College website outlines
these questions dedicated to describing the
Quaker testimonies that directly influence
the core values that our campus embraces.
Although Guilford no longer directly
affiliated with the local Quaker meeting
in North Carolina, the school continues
to embody core values that the Quaker
testimonies influenced. For those of you
unaware of the testimonies, they are
simplicity, peace, integrity, community,
equality and stewardship.
Eiow does this Quaker lingo fit into the
sports section of the newspaper? Athletes
and coaches cite an overwhelming influence
of integrity, one of the Quaker testimonies,
on their experience with sports.
One might say that athletics have no room
for integrity and that athletes just get on the
field or the court and, at the start of a game,
immediately initiate aggressive and violent
behavior. Think again.
Most Guilford athletes have a different
approach to playing their sport. Athletes,
especially on a college level, bring a thought-
out approach to sports. In fact, teamwork
and camaraderie define "athlete."
Binford resident advisor and sophomore
offensive lineman Paris El-Ali values
teamwork and levelheadedness in game
situations.
"If you fight (in a game), you're
undisciplined and selfish," said El-Ali.
He believes that playing sports,
specifically football, does require a certain
level of aggressive competition, but to allow
aggressive tendencies to take over during
game play is unfair to your teammates.
"You have to be aggressive, but you
have to understand that it's between the
whistles," said El-Ali.
Beyond individual athletic dedication to
maintaining good sportsmanlike behavior,
coaches also work to instill an attitude^ of
communication and teamwork in their
athletes.
"I think communication is the biggest
key," said Dennis Shores, head softball
coach.
Coach Shores emphasizes the importance
of teaching players not only how to play
softball, but how to apply sHlls learned on
the field to their lives.
"I'm pretty clear from day one; they don't
walk," said Shores. "They give 100 percent,
and once you instill that, it carries over into
their studies."
But, do athletes continue to practice their
athletic integrity off the field once the referee
has blown the final whistle and the clock
flashes zero? Athletes replied by saying that
the discipline and dedication learned from
playing sports directly affects their lives
outside of sports.
Senior softball captain Morgan Andrews
says that playing softball and creating a
family environment on the team has taught
her invaluable lessons that influence her
daily life.
"Athletic integrity consists of good
sportsmanship, hard work, desire,
dedication, and having respect for not only
yourself, but also for your teammates and
the other team," said Andrews.
The word integrity manages to encoijipass
both religious integrity and athletic integrity.
Chad Wagoner, a sophomore transfer
from East Carolina University, finds that his
Quaker faith and his attitude on the baseball
field share common aspects.
"In worship I just relax and let my mind
go: and, in a game, I also try to relax and stay
focused on the task at hand," said Wagoner.
"If I'm not relaxed. I'm uptight and can't
play well."
Practicing dedication, to his team and
playing baseball at a competitive level
relates directly to Wagoner's hard work in
school as well.
Beyond dedicating time to a sport and
ensuring that the time spent on the field,
in the weight room, or on the court is used
well, lies the ultimate goal.
"You have to find something inside of
yourself that you didn't know you had, or
you're not going to make it," said senior
power forward Will Cloyd.
Running sprints, wiping sweat from your
brow, high-fiving your teammates all add up
to defining the term athlete.
The culmination of repeated motions
and actions identify not only someone who
plays sports casually, but also an athlete.
Remaining in the gym well after practice
ends in order to continue perfecting your
foul shots instills a behavior filled to the
brim with intention.
Encouraging your fellow team member
not to skip practice. Pushing through
grueling sprints at the end of practice,
despite trembling legs that can't possibly
carry you even one more step, are facets that
also define an athlete.
These actions result in preparing athletes
for game play and life off of the court, field,
pool, or track.
Athletic Director and Head Men's
Basketball Coach Tom Palombo explains
the reasoning behind instilling a mindset of
integrity in players.
"Coaches want to teach their players a
lot more than how to win a game," said
Palombo. "You're going to remember all of
the things that went into being on the team."
Ultimately, Palombo, and arguably all
quality coaches, hopes to inspire the same
goal in their players.
"Playing a sport has to mean more than
winning one game," said Palombo.
PALOMBO
Palombo is a positive role model
for his children and students
Continued from page I
are girls and the two youngest are boys.
The four’ of them are involved in a countless
amount of activities, including hockey, soccer and
gymnastics.
"My parents always put me first," said Palombo
in an email interview. "My wife Amy always puts
our kids' needs above hers and makes a tremendous
sacrifice for our family. Because of the long hours I
work, I don't get to spend much time with the kids. I
try to make the time I do have with them special.
"I want to be there for them and guide them
along the way and share my experiences with them,"
Palombo said.
So what does the hardest working man in Division
III do to have a moment to himself?
Golf is his downtime.
"It's my one little thing I like to do," Palombo said.
Guilford's Vice-President for Student Affairs and
Dean of Students Aaron Fetrow has been Tom's golf
partner for the past six years.
"Tom and I started our friendship in 2005 because
we were working here, but also because we both love
to golf," Fetrow said. "He's an intense competitor. He
always wants to have something on the line and he
wants to win ... another piece about him that I have
so much respect for is that while he's so intense, really
the base of Tom is integrity. I think his players really
look at him as a father figure and a mentor ... they
have a lot of respect for him."
Palumbo’s players are indeed very lucky to have a
coach that isn't all about basketball.
"I think they understand that we are just trying
to make them better and prepare them for life after
basketball," Palombo said. "I believe my players
want to be successful and want to be pushed toward
greatness."
Fetrow and Palombo also spend time together with
their families.
"What I notice is how happy Tom is when he's with
his kids," said Fetrow. "When we're in the backyard
cooking and we're throwing the baseball around with
all the kids together, he's really having fun doing
that."
Senior center Justin Stafford is in his fourth year
under the tutelage of Palombo.
"He is such a devoted coach," said Stafford in
an email interview. "He balances his duties as a
basketball coach with the additional task of being
athletic director and still finds time to be a devoted
husband and father. I've really appreciated these last
four years (with him)."
Providing just as much entertainment as his team
does for him, Palombo's children attend as many
home games as their schedules allow.
"I always enjoy seeing his kids run onto the court
after games, giving him a big hug and kiss," Stafford
said.
Now, you may wonder, how does this Quaker
dynamo keep going and going? How does he do it all?
It has to be an expending lifestyle, but many would
attest that he maintains it at such a high level.
"It is very difficult," said Palombo. "There certainly
is not much free time during the basketball season
... I rarely get back to Virginia Beach to see my
Mom, sisters and brothers. However, we have a great
coaching staff, I feel that I have a great relationship
with my boss, and our team is full of quality people so
that certainly makes a big difference. I enjoy coming
to work every day and trying to be successful in that
one single day.
"I try not to look too far ahead," Palombo said.
"One day at a time is plenty for me."
(Above) Wide receiver Ben King gams positive yardage against the Emory &
Henry defense during Saturday s game. King led all receivers with 87 YDS.
(Below) Quarterback Zac Halbert has a receiver in his sights against the
Wasps defense.The Quakers lost their final game 30-6 ending the season 1-5
(ODAC) and 2-8 overall.