McCoy grew up in Sperry, Oklahoma with an uncommon passion
for football. He played for Inola as a high school senior. Now, after
four years as a starter at Ottawa (Kan.) University and a year in
arena football, McCoy's home is a suburb of Stockholm on the
coast of the Baltic Sea.
"At first, I was completely in culture shock," McCoy said.
He's been in Tyreso for seven weeks, learning the culture and the
language and playing and teaching the game.
for football. He played for Inola as a high school senior. Now, after
four years as a starter at Ottawa (Kan.) University and a year in
arena football, McCoy's home is a suburb of Stockholm on the
coast of the Baltic Sea.
"At first, I was completely in culture shock," McCoy said.
He's been in Tyreso for seven weeks, learning the culture and the
language and playing and teaching the game.
| Okie Enjoying Football Career in Sweden |
"I have a great life here," he said. "I just work out, coach and play football games on Saturday, then go out and meet
women on the weekend in Stockholm."
As a linebacker at Sperry and Inola, McCoy made the Tulsa World All-Metro teams. Sperry made the playoffs three
straight years, then his family moved to Inola and "I kind of got lost in the mix ... as far as recruiting."
The 6-foot-1, 220-pound linebacker found more accolades at the NAIA school in Ottawa, Kan., earning All-American
recognition in 2005.
But that wasn't enough football for McCoy. In 2006, McCoy, 24, participated in a scouting combine in Dallas,
secured an agent and got a gig playing indoor football for the Billings Outlaws in Billings, Mont.
He then spent a year working in construction in Tulsa, hanging drywall, laying tile and installing plumbing. But he
kept training, too, and eventually found more football opportunities.
This spring, McCoy signed with another indoor team, the New Mexico Wildcats, in Rio Rancho, N.M. After just one
game, though, McCoy's agent called and told him about an opportunity to return to the outdoor game.
In Sweden.
"I read up about it," he said in April, the day before shipping out. "I've wanted to go travel Europe anyway. Now I'm
going to get to do it on somebody else's dime."
McCoy plays linebacker and fullback for the Tyreso Royal Crowns (a reference to the Scandinavian nation's
monarchy, not the soft drink), one of seven teams in the Swedish American Football Federation. Soccer is king, but
football is catching on.
"They start 'em out young like Jenks or Union," McCoy said. "They start 'em in pee wees and bring 'em up, so when
they get to the upper leagues, they'll be prepared. It's all a system. They know the system from the time they're little."
Tyreso (pop. 41,000) is located on a peninsula in far eastern Sweden. The town is 10 miles east of Stockholm
(1.95 million inhabitants in the metropolitan area).
There are about 50 players per team, but no more than two Americans — one on offense, one on defense. So far,
McCoy, Tyreso's only Yankee, plays both ways. He arrived in late April (the Crowns are 1-4; McCoy scored the game-
winning TD in the victory), and the league takes a break in July. The season runs through September.
The team pays for his apartment (his roommates, Alex Nielson and Victor Lejon, are Swedes) and virtually
everything else.
"The only thing that I have to pay for is my personal entertainment," he said. "They covered my bus pass until
October; I get two free meals (a day) from a local restaurant in town, Curres Corner; a grocery store attendant
brings two bags of groceries by each week to stock up the fridge. They hooked me up with a cell phone and
minutes, Internet and a free apartment."
Good thing, too. The cost of living is high in Sweden. A liter of petrol goes for 14 kronas. Translated, that's a gallon
of gas for $8.69. Almost everyone takes public transportation.
McCoy is also an assistant coach for the local high school team. He compared the SAFF talent to that in the NCAA's
Division I-AA and said some members of the high school team could compete for playing time at Oklahoma's best
high schools.
"Most of the people here are talented with their feet, obviously from soccer," he said, "but a lot of them play ice
hockey and have great eye-hand coordination."
So far, McCoy is adjusting to Scandinavian life. He's become a regular in the Centrum (a mall where he tried to buy
football cleats but found only soccer shoes) and is even enjoying some measure of celebrity.
"The little kids eat it up and love to hang out with me on the field when I run before practice," he said. "I have tried to
jump in with them in their pickup soccer games. I am terrible at soccer.
"The coolest thing after the game is that the teams line up in straight lines facing each other parallel to the 50-yard
line. The visiting team captain then steps out and thanks the other team for a good game and competition. The
home team does the same in return, and everybody claps and the lines come together and shake hands and tell
everybody, 'Good game.' Very neat and interesting."
women on the weekend in Stockholm."
As a linebacker at Sperry and Inola, McCoy made the Tulsa World All-Metro teams. Sperry made the playoffs three
straight years, then his family moved to Inola and "I kind of got lost in the mix ... as far as recruiting."
The 6-foot-1, 220-pound linebacker found more accolades at the NAIA school in Ottawa, Kan., earning All-American
recognition in 2005.
But that wasn't enough football for McCoy. In 2006, McCoy, 24, participated in a scouting combine in Dallas,
secured an agent and got a gig playing indoor football for the Billings Outlaws in Billings, Mont.
He then spent a year working in construction in Tulsa, hanging drywall, laying tile and installing plumbing. But he
kept training, too, and eventually found more football opportunities.
This spring, McCoy signed with another indoor team, the New Mexico Wildcats, in Rio Rancho, N.M. After just one
game, though, McCoy's agent called and told him about an opportunity to return to the outdoor game.
In Sweden.
"I read up about it," he said in April, the day before shipping out. "I've wanted to go travel Europe anyway. Now I'm
going to get to do it on somebody else's dime."
McCoy plays linebacker and fullback for the Tyreso Royal Crowns (a reference to the Scandinavian nation's
monarchy, not the soft drink), one of seven teams in the Swedish American Football Federation. Soccer is king, but
football is catching on.
"They start 'em out young like Jenks or Union," McCoy said. "They start 'em in pee wees and bring 'em up, so when
they get to the upper leagues, they'll be prepared. It's all a system. They know the system from the time they're little."
Tyreso (pop. 41,000) is located on a peninsula in far eastern Sweden. The town is 10 miles east of Stockholm
(1.95 million inhabitants in the metropolitan area).
There are about 50 players per team, but no more than two Americans — one on offense, one on defense. So far,
McCoy, Tyreso's only Yankee, plays both ways. He arrived in late April (the Crowns are 1-4; McCoy scored the game-
winning TD in the victory), and the league takes a break in July. The season runs through September.
The team pays for his apartment (his roommates, Alex Nielson and Victor Lejon, are Swedes) and virtually
everything else.
"The only thing that I have to pay for is my personal entertainment," he said. "They covered my bus pass until
October; I get two free meals (a day) from a local restaurant in town, Curres Corner; a grocery store attendant
brings two bags of groceries by each week to stock up the fridge. They hooked me up with a cell phone and
minutes, Internet and a free apartment."
Good thing, too. The cost of living is high in Sweden. A liter of petrol goes for 14 kronas. Translated, that's a gallon
of gas for $8.69. Almost everyone takes public transportation.
McCoy is also an assistant coach for the local high school team. He compared the SAFF talent to that in the NCAA's
Division I-AA and said some members of the high school team could compete for playing time at Oklahoma's best
high schools.
"Most of the people here are talented with their feet, obviously from soccer," he said, "but a lot of them play ice
hockey and have great eye-hand coordination."
So far, McCoy is adjusting to Scandinavian life. He's become a regular in the Centrum (a mall where he tried to buy
football cleats but found only soccer shoes) and is even enjoying some measure of celebrity.
"The little kids eat it up and love to hang out with me on the field when I run before practice," he said. "I have tried to
jump in with them in their pickup soccer games. I am terrible at soccer.
"The coolest thing after the game is that the teams line up in straight lines facing each other parallel to the 50-yard
line. The visiting team captain then steps out and thanks the other team for a good game and competition. The
home team does the same in return, and everybody claps and the lines come together and shake hands and tell
everybody, 'Good game.' Very neat and interesting."
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