Miller Jordan Middle School Principal Mary Alice Martinez is seen (center) speaking during an NFL Fuel Up To Play 60 campaign event held at the campus on Friday. Accompanying Martinez on her left is Jacksonville Jaguars running back Maurice Jones-Drew and free agent Chris Horton on her right. (Staff photo by Francisco E. Jimenez)
By FRANCISCO E. JIMENEZ
Staff Writer
reporter@sbnewspaper.com
Jacksonville Jaguars running back Maurice Jones-Drew is seen Friday speaking with San Benito High School Principal Delia Weaver at Miller Jordan Middle School, the site of an NFL Fuel Up To Play 60 campaign stop. (Staff photo by Francisco E. Jimenez)
Two NFL football players visited Miller Jordan Middle School in San Benito to promote the NFL Fuel Up To Play 60 campaign, and they didn’t disappoint.
Chris Horton, a free agent formerly of the Washington Redskins and the New York Giants, made his second trip to San Benito on Friday and brought along his former UCLA teammate and current Jacksonville Jaguars running back Maurice Jones-Drew.
The two pros made an appearance at Miller Jordan early Friday morning as both players emphasized the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
“The way society is, everybody likes to stay at home with computers and technology,” Jones-Drew said. “It’s important for kids to get out and just exercise a little bit and have fun. When we were kids, I wish someone would have told us that we have to go outside for an hour. For me and Chris (Horton), I think it’s just a chance for us to spread the word that it is fun to go outside and play, stay active and stay healthy. Doing that helps with school, the stresses of life, everything.”
Horton also expressed the importance of implementing a healthy lifestyle.
“We just try to encourage the kids to get out and exercise for 60 minutes a day and eat breakfast,” Horton said. “Nutrition is very important, and breakfast is one of the key meals. We just want to emphasize that and have kids just get out and exercise.”
Both football players were pleased with their stay San Benito and expressed interest in returning in the future.
“It is very humbling (coming to San Benito),” said Jones-Drew. “So far it’s been great, and we’ve only been here less than 24 hours. We’ve had a great time so far and I can’t wait to see what the rest of the weekend has unfolded for us. I’m enjoying every minute of it.”
“When Dr. (Cynthia) Clayborn called me and said that everyone wanted me back, I kind of got excited,” said Horton. “It’s been two years since I’ve been here, and I’m excited to be here again. It feels like home. Me being able to get (Jones-Drew) here, he’s busy, and when I told him about the experience I had two years ago and how it touched so many people in the Valley, he said he wanted to come out here and check it out. I definitely see myself coming back, with the busy schedule that I have, it’s just finding that time.”
Horton and Jones-Drew have known each other since they were teammates at UCLA. It was there that the athletes established a friendship that lasts to this day.
“We’ve known each other for going on 10 years,” Horton said. “We went to college together in 2003, we were both in the same recruiting class, and we kind of developed a rivalry during practice at UCLA. He’s an offensive player, I’m a defensive player. He wants to score touchdowns, and I want to stop him. We talk a little smack to each other at times, but it’s all in good fun.”
Dr. Cynthia Clayborn has also known Horton for some time, which is how she was able to get the athletes to visit San Benito.
“I’ve known Chris (Horton) for a long time, he’s like a son to me,” she said. “He fell in love with the community when he was here two years ago. He’s always asking about the people here and the students. He was really anxious to come back. Maurice (Jones-Drew) played football with him at UCLA, so they’ve been longtime friends. He was excited as well based on what Chris had said. There couldn’t be two nicer people on the planet. They just have the biggest hearts.”
Clayborn further remarked, “I’ve always been connected to the NFL and their programs. NFL Play 60 is just a program that I believe in. When I moved to the Valley from Los Angeles, the first school I worked at didn’t have the program, so I brought it. The kids and the community just had such a great time, so I just started doing it every year.”
Both players offered their advice to any athletes who wish to take their talents to the next level. The common denominator in both cases was making school work a priority.
“You have to be able to sacrifice some things, like going out with your friends and make sure that you get proper rest and eat healthy and really work hard at your craft,” said Jones-Drew. “Those are things on the sports side. On the academic side, if you take care of school everything will fall into place. Just make sure that you take care of the things that are very important like school and eating healthy, and you’ll be okay.”
Read this story in the Jan. 20 edition of the San Benito News, or subscribe to our E-Edition by clicking here.
1 comment
Way to go Dr. C!! I heard alot of good things about how you welcomed your friends to out small town.
That all the activities you had these two fine athletes/mentors you also involved the community and of
course the students. How very gracious they were to sign aurographs and meet as many fans as they could.
An exceptional plan to motivate the kids to excercise and eat well.