Corpus Christi Caller Times Caller.com - Sinton senior is an athlete who relishes calculus

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Monday, October 30, 2000

Sinton senior is an athlete who relishes calculus
Emiliano Alaniz, who’s tied for second in his class, also is captain of the football team and baseball shortstop
By Jason Ma
Caller-Times

George Tuley/Caller-Times

Emiliano 'Emi' Alaniz III is captain of the Sinton High School football team and is tied for second in his class of 123.

   Sinton High School senior Emiliano "Emi" Alaniz III describes himself as quiet and conservative, but his actions on the playing field and in the classroom speak loudly.
   He’s captain of the football team and an All-State shortstop for the baseball team, and he helped his baseball team take third place in the state finals.
   In the classroom this Caller-Times South Texas Distinguished Scholar in the student-athlete category is tied for second in his class of 123 with a grade point average of 4.0 or 4.069 when honors classes are factored in.
   "When people find out my GPA is high, they’re like ‘Wow,’ " he said. "I like having something besides sports. It’s balanced."
   Emi’s favorite class is calculus. "I like the really long problems," he said. "You start out with something small. Then it grows and you end up with a small answer out of all that work. When you get it right, you feel good."
   Emi, 18, says his father, Emiliano Alaniz Jr., has been an inspiration to succeed athletically, while his mother, Norma Alaniz, has pushed him academically. His mother says his work ethic stands out as a factor in his success. "He’s very persistent in what he wants," she said. "He’s the type who’s not going to stop until he fills that goal."
   For Emi those goals include college, possibly Texas Tech, The University of Texas or Rice University, among others. And while he said he might play baseball for a college team, his goal in school is to become an accountant.
   During high school, his talents on the field have led him to being named an All-State shortstop by the Texas High School Baseball Coaches Association. He also is a Wendy’s High School All-American Student Athlete Award winner and twice was named as a first team all-district defensive back in football.
   But it’s because he has consistently come up with clutch plays that his teammates look to him for leadership.
   "It’s not a freak accident," said Sinton High School athletic director Brent Davis. "He does it over and over again. He does well under pressure and others see that."
   Emi said he likes being in pressure situations and draws on his religion for inspiration. For example, when he plays baseball, he draws a cross in the dirt with his bat each time he steps up to the plate.
   Davis said Emi also helps to motivate his teammates no matter what the score.
   As the football team’s coach, Davis remembers being down 22-0 in the 1998 regional semi-finals against Raymondville High School. While the team lost 36-34, he said Emi helped rally his team to stay in the game.
   "He was a big part in us not losing our cool," Davis said. "He takes on adversity well."

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