Three miles. Under 21 and a half minutes. Seven a.m. This is what it takes to win; this is what makes a Guilford College athlete.Three different sports players: Ben Many (Men’s Tennis), Kirsten Dexter (former Women’s Lacrosse), and Steve Danis (Men’s Baseball) share the same problem—time.

Dexter, a senior, has played Women’s Lacrosse for the past three years but is unable to continue this year due to thesis work. “We practiced five days a week, Monday through Friday, two hours a day…most people usually don’t have problems with it though,” said Dexter.

Ben Many doesn’t like the time constraints at all. “I hate getting back late from an away game and having a paper due,” he said. Many is no stranger to the rules either; he’s been playing for three years also.

Although it gives him a feeling of pride, he admits that it has taken a large chunk out of his study time.

Steve Danis, senior and fourth-year player, also feels the crunch of time’s grip. “We’re in the off-season now. That’s six weeks of team practicing, four hours a day,” said Danis. And from 1:30 to 5:30 p.m. every day but Monday, Guilford baseball presses onward.

The stress of the game added to the mounds of homework could drive even the most committed student to lunacy. That, however, is not a problem at Guilford. That is what makes the coaches really shine.

“Most professors will work with you if they know you play sports, some don’t, but the coaches understand this…they really help out a lot,” said Dexter.

Danis agreed, “My coach is really cool. He would definitely go out of his way to help us if we needed him.”

Absences are also a big concern to Guilford athletes. Some professors have very strict attendance policies, allowing students to miss only three days in a semester; this adds to the hardship.

English Professor Eleanor Branch also understands the stress of balancing athletics and academics. There are four athletes in her freshman class of fifteen.

She said that she does make allowances on special occasions, but she also expects student athletes to uphold the same standards as non-athletic students.

“There’s no reason to miss all of class if the bus doesn’t leave until after the class has started,” she said.

Success is tough for these and other Guilford athletes. They have all learned that time management is essential for good performance in both the classroom and the game, and having an understanding coach or professor is priceless.