The decision was made final on March 31 that in the winter of 2011 there will be a new varsity sport at Guilford: ice hockey.Since the track team lost its track the same year that they became a varsity team, and the swim team lost its pool, Guilford decided it was in the budget to add another team that had no on-campus facilities.

Juniors Wes Good and Andrew Slater have pushed for this team to be added as a varsity sport since their first year at Guilford.

“Me and Wes have been attending ice hockey games in the Greensboro area and are looking to recruit the most aggressive players from high school teams,” Slater said. “Fight, fight, inner light! Kill, Quakers, kill!”

It seems like everyone is looking forward to the hard-hitting, smash-mouth sport’s inaugural season.

“The athletic department is excited to see what an ice hockey team can add to the culture here at Guilford,” Athletic Director Tom Palombo said.

“Hockey is a big word,” said Randy Doss in an e-mail interview. “I can’t wait until the season begins.”

It is the hope that by adding the new team, students will become more interested in Guilford athletics.

After the decision was final, Palombo and the athletic department deliberated on the new team’s head coach.

Palombo offered ice hockey legend Gordie Howe the head coach position but Guilford couldn’t offer him the salary he was looking for, so instead, they settled with football’s head coach Kevin Keisel.

“I thought to myself, ‘Hey, why not? Hockey can’t be too different from football,'” said Kiesel.

The Quakers have never had a hockey team before and because of this groundbreaking new program, Guilford is breaking ground.

Considering the addition of a new indoor batting center, turf inside Armfield Athletic Center, tennis courts, flat screen televisions in the men’s basketball team’s locker room, an outdoor volleyball court, racquetball court and weight room, Guilford has come up with the budget for a new ice rink.

“We were told that once we recruited 20 to 30 players for tryouts, we could have the team,” Good said. “Now that the team is established there is an offer for new facilities.”

The hockey, track, and swim teams were informed that Aztecas Mexican Restaurant in Quaker Village has offered to give money to Guilford for a new athletic facility. The owners decided to give back to the community that provides so much of their business.

The new facility will be named after the donor who provided the funding. There has been talk that the new facility will be called the “Taco Tuesday Athletics Center.”

Before the name is set in stone, the facility has to be built.

According to Palombo, the plan is to freeze the Guilford lake over for a rink and then install a four-lane track around the perimeter. There is research being conducted to find out if it would be doable to freeze half the lake and use a portion as a lap pool.

“If they don’t give us a lap pool, that will be the last straw,” sophomore swim team member Kelcey Johnson said. “Our team has already talked about going on strike if our request isn’t met.”

The new facilities are causing a stir in the Guilford community outside the athletic department as well.

“The lake isn’t used for anything except the occasional naked hippie, so maybe it could go to better use for the athletic department,” senior Mike Cumby said.

Other Guilford students are not as ready to accept change to the lake; namely, the hippies.

“They can’t take away the lake!” junior Lauren Jeffries said. “Where will students’ dogs play? Where would girls lay out in bikinis?”

In response to this outcry, Guilford is considering building an outdoor pool on campus, only to be used by dogs and sunbathing hipsters.

Once the blueprints are drawn, construction on the lake would begin following the ice hockey team’s first season.

“This may seem like a premature vote of confidence for the team, but worst-case scenario, Guilford can open the rink to the public or turn it into first-year dorms,” President Kent Chabotar said. “We are having plans drawn up for both just to be safe.”

Tryouts for the hockey team will be held at the Greensboro Ice House from April 20-25. Anyone who wants to try out is welcome.

“We want anyone from Guilford to feel welcome to try out,” Good said. “Girls, guys, squirrels, or staff; any member of the community who thinks they have talent.