Activities & Organizations

Football team welcomes guests for rare sideline experience

Two business leaders got to be guest sideline coaches for UH during its 42-23 win over Tulane on Saturday. | Jessel Parra/The Daily Cougar

The C.T. Bauer College of Business and UH Athletics have collaborated again this semester for their annual Bauer Business Leaders Program.

President of the Houston Athletic Foundation Matthew Houston helped start this program, which is in its second year. The objective is to try to connect UH student athletes with important Houston business leaders.

The agenda involves allowing two individuals to be guest sideline coaches at UH football home games. This time, James Bashaw, president and owner of Houston-based financial services firm James E. Bashaw & Co., and David Sheives, chief operating officer of independent member firm Grainer, Donnelly & Desroches, got a chance to experience everything a coach does at Saturday’s victory over Tulane.

“It was a fantastic opportunity,” Bashaw said. “We got to see the walk-through and the plays, and we got to meet the coaches.”

During breakfast, Bashaw and Sheives got the opportunity to meet the players. The two men have been involved with Bauer for about five years and met at UH 30 years ago.

“We like Cougar football,” Sheives said.

They both have always been Cougar fans and said that getting a chance to be as close to the real thing as they did on Saturday was great.

“This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” Bashaw said. “These student athletes work hard in the classroom and on the field, and it’s great to be a part of the excitement of UH Cougar football.”

They even got to celebrate with the team, as the Cougars claimed a 42-23 win over Tulane.

“I will be celebrating by having dinner with a couple of UT alumni and talking about our win,” Bashaw said. “Go Coogs.”

Though Bashaw and Sheives won’t be on the sideline every time, they will attend future games since they are season ticket holders.

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