University of Tennessee Athletics
Huddle For Hearts: Bru McCoy's Life-Saving Initiative
September 07, 2023 | Football
Within the last two years of the NCAA adopting the NIL policy, student-athletes have been able to receive compensation for their name, image and likeness. In the evolving landscape of college athletics, the names of exceptional athletes have dominated headlines. The case has been no different with star wide receiver Bru McCoy — the Vols' second most productive wideout in 2022 logging three 100-yard receiving games, averaging 12.8 yards per catch and finishing the season with a total of 52 receptions, the 12th-best mark in the SEC.
The reform in NCAA bylaw was a game changer for student-athletes at UT and around the nation. However, McCoy is seeking to make a greater impact, engaging in an NIL deal that will change the game for athletes not yet at the collegiate level, but with big dreams. In his second year competing in the Southeastern Conference, McCoy has taken the SEC tagline of "It just means more" as a call to action.
In partnership with the Peyton Walker Foundation, McCoy has developed "Huddle for Hearts," an initiative to help youth athlete organizations receive AEDs (automated external defibrillator), a medical device designed to save those experiencing sudden cardiac arrest.
The Peyton Walker Foundation, a non-profit based out of Pennsylvania, began after Peyton Walker, a student studying to be a physician assistant at King's College, died suddenly due to Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) at the age of 19. Peyton's mother, Julie Walker started the foundation to raise awareness for SCA, providing free heart screenings for students and athletes throughout their community and hosting CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) and AED training classes all in an effort to save lives.
"The foundation reached out, specifically Julie Walker, because she was interested in using athletics as a platform to raise awareness," McCoy said. "I think she saw an opportunity in the NIL space to bring awareness to this issue. I was one of the athletes that really jumped at that opportunity."
Following a highly witnessed example of SCA during the Bills-Chiefs "Monday Night Football" game in January, McCoy was inspired to have a hand in the Peyton Walker Foundation's life-saving efforts. McCoy cited the fact that Sudden Cardiac Arrest is the number one killer of student-athletes in the United States, as well as one of the leading causes of death in America.
Since watching the incident in the NFL, McCoy has felt a desire to make an effort in increasing both the awareness and survival rate of SCA. The answer was "Huddle for Hearts."
"Huddle for Hearts" is aiming to not only spread awareness about the dangers and prevalence of sudden cardiac arrest, but to alert people on prevention and treatment. In partnership with the Peyton Walker Foundation, McCoy is working to raise money to provide communities with AEDs, to make understanding sudden cardiac arrest a priority, and to introduce it to youth athletes who might benefit from knowledge and training early on in their careers.
McCoy's vision for "Huddle for Hearts" goes beyond Knoxville. He wants athletes from schools across the country to take part in this initiative to help spread awareness and make AEDs accessible to underserved communities nationwide. The organization already has a handful of football players on board from other Division I programs.
"I was looking for something that impacts athletes directly," McCoy said. "There are opportunities to give back, but I also want to give back and have it affect the people around me, the under-privileged communities around me, and raise awareness about SCA. It's the leading cause of death in athletes right now, so if I can help with that as an athlete, that's impactful."
McCoy has already donated two AEDs to NewBreed Youth Sports Inc., a youth sports club in Knoxville. Following the donation, players, coaches and parents of NewBreed Youth Sports Inc. were invited to attend a CPR & AED demonstration by the East Tennessee Children's Hospital. However, McCoy's work for the cause is just beginning.
The presence, or lack, of an AED in the event of a heart attack could be the difference between life and death. McCoy is scoring touchdowns in the name of preventing SCA on the football field. For every touchdown that McCoy scores in the 2023 season, an AED and opportunity for training will be provided to players, coaches and parents in the Knoxville community, so in the event of an emergency, the presence of an AED could save a life.
The reform in NCAA bylaw was a game changer for student-athletes at UT and around the nation. However, McCoy is seeking to make a greater impact, engaging in an NIL deal that will change the game for athletes not yet at the collegiate level, but with big dreams. In his second year competing in the Southeastern Conference, McCoy has taken the SEC tagline of "It just means more" as a call to action.
In partnership with the Peyton Walker Foundation, McCoy has developed "Huddle for Hearts," an initiative to help youth athlete organizations receive AEDs (automated external defibrillator), a medical device designed to save those experiencing sudden cardiac arrest.
The Peyton Walker Foundation, a non-profit based out of Pennsylvania, began after Peyton Walker, a student studying to be a physician assistant at King's College, died suddenly due to Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) at the age of 19. Peyton's mother, Julie Walker started the foundation to raise awareness for SCA, providing free heart screenings for students and athletes throughout their community and hosting CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) and AED training classes all in an effort to save lives.
Huddle For Hearts is the name of my initiative to spread awareness of sudden cardiac arrest and raise money to bring AED's to underprivileged communities as well as CPR and AED use! I look forward to continuing to do things like this & help any community in need! @PeytonWalkerOrg https://t.co/q2hIVtZQY4
— Bru McCoy (@BruMcCoy15) July 22, 2023
"The foundation reached out, specifically Julie Walker, because she was interested in using athletics as a platform to raise awareness," McCoy said. "I think she saw an opportunity in the NIL space to bring awareness to this issue. I was one of the athletes that really jumped at that opportunity."
Following a highly witnessed example of SCA during the Bills-Chiefs "Monday Night Football" game in January, McCoy was inspired to have a hand in the Peyton Walker Foundation's life-saving efforts. McCoy cited the fact that Sudden Cardiac Arrest is the number one killer of student-athletes in the United States, as well as one of the leading causes of death in America.
Since watching the incident in the NFL, McCoy has felt a desire to make an effort in increasing both the awareness and survival rate of SCA. The answer was "Huddle for Hearts."
"Huddle for Hearts" is aiming to not only spread awareness about the dangers and prevalence of sudden cardiac arrest, but to alert people on prevention and treatment. In partnership with the Peyton Walker Foundation, McCoy is working to raise money to provide communities with AEDs, to make understanding sudden cardiac arrest a priority, and to introduce it to youth athletes who might benefit from knowledge and training early on in their careers.
McCoy's vision for "Huddle for Hearts" goes beyond Knoxville. He wants athletes from schools across the country to take part in this initiative to help spread awareness and make AEDs accessible to underserved communities nationwide. The organization already has a handful of football players on board from other Division I programs.
"I was looking for something that impacts athletes directly," McCoy said. "There are opportunities to give back, but I also want to give back and have it affect the people around me, the under-privileged communities around me, and raise awareness about SCA. It's the leading cause of death in athletes right now, so if I can help with that as an athlete, that's impactful."
McCoy has already donated two AEDs to NewBreed Youth Sports Inc., a youth sports club in Knoxville. Following the donation, players, coaches and parents of NewBreed Youth Sports Inc. were invited to attend a CPR & AED demonstration by the East Tennessee Children's Hospital. However, McCoy's work for the cause is just beginning.
The presence, or lack, of an AED in the event of a heart attack could be the difference between life and death. McCoy is scoring touchdowns in the name of preventing SCA on the football field. For every touchdown that McCoy scores in the 2023 season, an AED and opportunity for training will be provided to players, coaches and parents in the Knoxville community, so in the event of an emergency, the presence of an AED could save a life.
Touchdowns for AEDs (Automated External Defibrillators) 🏈‼️
— The Peyton Walker Foundation (@PeytonWalkerOrg) August 31, 2023
University of Tennessee Wide Receiver @BruMcCoy15 has signed an NIL deal with @RescueOneTrng allowing him to donate a free AED to underserved communities for every touchdown he scores 🧡 #HuddleforHearts pic.twitter.com/TqeDkvPJTG
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