Top college team in Mexico inviting European-league players to play in 90th anniversary game
The football program of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) – Pumas CU – is celebrating 90 years of history this year and to commemorate the anniversary the institution, with an enrollment of 342,000, has scheduled a very special event in which the blue and gold will face a selection of players who play in European leagues, dubbed the Europe Warriors.
The game, International Bowl II, will take place next August 12 in the Estadio Olímpico Universitario on the UNAM campus in Mexico City.
Jesús E. Sánchez from Mexico, current head coach of Osos Rivas (Madrid, Spain) will be in charge of commanding the Europe Warriors team that will face the Pumas in Mexico. Players in Europe who have finished their seasons will be invited to send in applications
Sanchez says that his staff is already formed and are already working on the details. Staff members will be announced through the team’s electronic media later on Friday, April 14.
This will not be the first time that a UNAM team has faced a squad from outside the North America. Last year, the Pumas played the Kwansei Gakuin University Fighters from Japan losing 17-13 in a tight battle.
Players interested in becoming part of the Europe Warriors will be able to find more information on their website (www.europewarriors.com) or through social networks, Facebook and Twitter. According to Sanchez players will have to cover the cost of the flights but the rest will be paid for:
-Hotels
-Meals
-Transportation in Mexico airport-hotels-everyday practice-gameday-Airport
-Game uniforms Jersey/pants (the players can keep it)
-Shorts & Tshirt
-Trainers, physiotherapists and medical service at the field on every practice and game day
Sanchez:
“We will only recruit players according to our standards, it’s important to remind that this is a business trip and we have to come back with the job done! That’s why all Europe Warriors members have to sign an agreement where we explain all the term, conditions and regulations required to be part of the Europe Warriors. Our recruiting system is based on game-highlights videos, interviews and references, exactly the same way that most teams in Europe recruit players.”
Players are asked to send an email to [email protected] with a game highlights video, Skype info and references of the European team where they have been playing. The coaches will contact each player to start the recruiting process. Players need to have a passport ready and their own football gear. The official list of the recruited players will be posted on May 29.
“We will meet in Mexico August 4, eight days before the game to set everything up. But once the players are selected and we are sure they are coming we will send them playbooks and everything else. So they can be getting ready before we get to Mexico. I think this is fair for a once in a lifetime opportunity like this but still we are working to reduce the player’s cost to zero for future events; that is one of our main goals. It’s not going to be easy but we truly believe that we can make it work. Hopefully we will bring together good talent and if things work the right way for us, we will create a new amazing window for American football.”
