Pair of local athletes chose running over other sports

Most people would believe that to be a college athlete, one must have trained and competed in that sport for years.  Two local athletes are proving that entering the game late, doesn't mean you can't make the three point shot, or hit the home run when it matters most.   Daytona State men's cross country team members Andrew Guillory (Mainland HS, '18 grad) and Tyler Baker (Port Orange Atlantic HS, '19 grad) gave up their primary high school sports of basketball and baseball to take up running during their senior year, which turned out to be a good thing for them, AND the Falcons. 

Guillory ran one season of cross country for Mainland, qualifying for the Regional meet and running a personal record of 17:25 for 5,000 meters.  He then picked up the basketball season and helped Mainland make the Elite Eight in the FHSAA tournament.  Two days after the team's final game of the tournament, Guillory was on the line at the Tomoka Half Marathon and found himself answering Coach Judy Wilson's question at the starting line,  "Hey, you do know how far this race is, correct?" With a smile, he nodded and finished with a respectable 1:32, having never run further than eight miles at one time.  In his only high school track season, Andrew would participate in a handful of races before accepting an offer from Daytona State College to join the inaugural men's cross country team.  In his first season running the collegiate distance of 8,000 meters, Andrew would finish one of Daytona State's top three runners for most of the season.  In his second season, he would finish his cross country career at Daytona State with a personal best at the NJCAA Half Marathon championships in El Paso, TX.  His willingness to try steeplechase on the track, along with his work ethic, athleticism, and driven personality has propelled him to his next step.  After Daytona State, where he will graduate this summer, he will move on to Thomas University to work on a bachelors degree in rehabilitation studies and run for the Night Hawks.  Who would have thought running would be the ticket for him?   "Andrew has a very bright future.  He has grown so much at Daytona State, not only as an athlete, but more importantly as a student."

Tyler Baker's career mirrors Guillory's, but his sport of choice in high school was baseball.  Running was reserved for only around the bases.  But something clicked with Baker while running track his senior year while at the FHSAA in the 4 x 800 meters.  He found himself considering college running.  Wilson liked the idea as well.  "I thought if he really got into putting miles in over the summer, he had a chance of being in our top seven.  But doing that and staying healthy is tricky for someone who has never trained at that level." Coach Judy Wilson said, referencing Baker's lack of experience in the sport. 

Throughout the summer of 2019, Baker did just that.  He put in miles and he stayed healthy.  Wilson was impressed with how he handled workouts, and he found himself in the top seven toward the second half of the season.  That's when it mattered.  Then, in the spring, Baker would work through the Falcons spring training program that includes strength workouts in the weight room and track workouts at a local track.  Primarily an 800 meter runner in high school, Baker embraced the challenge of running the mile and/or 1500 meters as an unattached athlete in local races.  He would finish the 2020 shortened spring season with a 4:17 1500 meter personal best (converts to a 4:34 mile).   "Tyler was headed for a sub 4:00 1500 meter time.   I have no doubt he will continue to improve and find himself running at a Division I level after Daytona State, if that's what he wants."  Wilson said.