Tennessee’s Bru McCoy gives back with golf tournament as he preps for fall camp
Standing on the number one tee at Three Ridges Golf Course in North Knoxville, senior Bru McCoy had another watershed moment in his recovery.
McCoy was kicking off the start of his all day tournament that features 40 teams. Each team gets a Tennessee athlete in a sport to play the entire round with. Players from football, volleyball, even world series hero Hunter Ensley was in the field as his friend McCoy was giving back.
“It really started with my grandfather, Tom Snyder,” McCoy said of the concept for his tournament. “After I broke my leg, I spent some time rehabbing and he was diagnosed with cancer. So I flew home and he was a golfer through and through. He walked 18 up until weeks before he passed. In coming back (to Knoxville) I wanted to find a way to have him involved in what I do. He loved to golf and everyone here (East Tennessee) golfs a ton so I said what a great opportunity. We can bring the community together. I can raise money for some great causes. I’m going to split money with a cancer foundation and with my Huddle for Hearts foundation.”
Ironically, McCoy’s grandfather was at the heart of one of McCoy’s key dates in his recovery.
“When I went home to visit my grandfather in the hospital, part of his rehab every day was to get up out of bed and walk. I flew home and my boot popped in the airplane from the pressure. The boot wasn’t worth anything. When I got to the hospital to see him, I was like ok, I’m going to pop this boot off and we are going to walk this hallway together. That was the first day I walked. I look at that day in the hospital with him till going out on the field and running routes in the morning like nothing has changed. It’s a blessing and I’m extremely thankful,” McCoy recalled.
Sunday’s afternoon on the course for McCoy and his teammates was really McCoy’s final day of non-football activities as he gears up for a fall camp where he expects to not be an observer.
“My ankle feels really good and golf helps. If you walk 9, it feels good on the ankle and it helps with some mobility stuff,” McCoy explained. “The ankle is doing great. This is kind of the cap off to any sort of extra circulars for me. After today, I won’t be nearly as active in the community because I will be pouring into making sure I’m showing up on Saturdays, but the ankle is doing well. I’m really thankful for how everything worked out in the rehab process.
“I’m going to go in fall camp. I think the best thing for me is just to get back into it and back into the fire. So I plan on being full go in fall camp. Whatever restrictions, we will deal with that as they come. I will fight the trainers on some of that. I have been full go all summer. There have been some days where volume gets a little high from a sports science stand point and the rehab aspect. They have been like look you have done a lot. We fight that battle, but I’m pushing the needle and come fall camp there shouldn’t be any restrictions.”
As for his Sunday in the sun, McCoy was all smiles as he interacted with fans.
“I have really fallen in love with Knoxville end the people,” McCoy said. “The way the fans pour into me. The way they cheer my name and show up for me. This is my way to give back. An opportunity to come meet me. To come hang out, meet the guys on the team and get to know me on a personal level. It’s part of how I can give back to the fans and the greater community.
“It also gives a chance to bring my teammates together with the community. It gives people a chance to spent a long period of time with a player and really get to know them. I think that’s awesome. I think that will leave a long lasting memory with a lot of people. For me it’s a chance to socialize with a lot of people that care a lot. If they paid to be here I want to give them the best experience I can.”
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