Guest Jody Posted August 28, 2006 Report Posted August 28, 2006 Printed in Baytown Sun: Michael Pineda MONT BELVIEU — Two athletes from Barbers Hill will turn heads this upcoming season when they suit up for Anahuac — the University of Anahuac in Cancun that is. Chris Daniels and Adam Aycock will leave today for Mexico to attend Anahuac University where they will play football. Daniels was a three-year starting quarterback for the Eagles whose senior season was cut short by a knee injury. Aycock was an All-State performer for Barbers Hill on the offensive line. The pair will be part of a contingent of 10 Texans that will join the team made up of Mexican nationals. Both have been awarded full scholarships. “They invited a couple of us Texas boys to come up and get their program straightened out,†Aycock said. The opportunity to play in Mexico arose when Barbers Hill head coach Don Price was approached at a meeting of the Greater Houston Coaches Football Association. When asked if he knew of anyone that might be interested in playing in Cancun, he thought of Daniels who was not signed following his injury. Daniels was looking to take some courses at Lee College and transfer in the spring to an college to play football. “There was a lot of checking out to do but once we found out it was legitimate it was not a hard decision to make,†Daniels said. “I made the commitment to play on Saturday night. It is such a big relief. I was just hoping something would work out.†When Daniels made the commitment to play at Anahuac he was asked if he knew anyone else who might be interested. Aycock was at Texas A&M Commerce where he had already been through three weeks of two-a-days. After receiving a call from Daniels, he also received a call from assistant coach Arturo Motta on Monday. “He called me and asked me if I wanted to come to Cancun and I agreed to it,†Aycock said. “I told him I was going to check with my parents and they wanted me to go and play.†This will be Anahuac’s first year playing football. The team will play its first game this weekend and has a schedule that consists of 10 games. Because its stadium is under construction, the team will play eight of the 10 games on the road. In the classroom, the pair will take 12 hours of Spanish this semester and then move on to basic curriculum. Daniels took three years of Spanish in high school but admits that he isn’t very fluent. Aycock is, for the most part, unfamiliar with the language. While attending Anahuac, Aycock plans to major in business and Daniels in international business. “The only cost for them is transportation there and back,†Price said. “It is an accredited school and their credits transfer. And it is an opportunity to play football.†The coaching staff hopes to have both players up to speed by the middle of the season. During the course of two-a-days at Commerce, Aycock lost 22 pounds and is in great shape. Daniels is over his playing weight but has been working out this summer throwing the ball with a cousin who has joined the team at Angelo State. Aycock and Daniels will share an apartment in Cancun. “It will be a big culture shock but it will work out,†Aycock said. “Being roommates will help a lot.â€
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