The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Longhorn Foundation donor spotlight: George and Carol McCoy
11.12.2010 | Longhorn Foundation
Nov. 12, 2010
Andy Ortegon, Texas Media Relations
Every Texas Football fan knows the dedication it takes to support their beloved Longhorns. For George and Carol McCoy, being true fans isn't about fitting the Longhorns into their fall schedule, rather making the Longhorns' fall schedule their own.
"Last year, when Colt (McCoy) was playing, we felt like he just needed our support," Mrs. McCoy said. "So, we went to every home and away game because that is what Texas fans do. I hope the Longhorns know how much they mean to this family."
George McCoy is a native Texan. He earned a graduate degree from The University of Texas in 1960. Shortly after, he moved to Thailand to work for Tex-Pacific Oil Company in Bangkok Thailand. There he met Carol, an employee of the same company. Following retirement, it was time for a reassessment. George's home is where the heart is, and his heart was in Texas.
"I still remember him telling me, `We are going home so I can watch my Longhorns play,' Mrs. McCoy said. "That is the only reason we came back. We could have lived out there in Asia and had a very good life. We had a cook, a maid and a driver. But he said he missed his Longhorns, so he was going back."
Mrs. McCoy is a native of Thailand. Soccer was the only true national sport; what she learned of football, she had to learn through George.
"I learned about Texas Football the first time we came to the states," she said. "We spent the entire flight with him teaching me about American football. X's And O's is how I learned. I had very good coaching."
When they returned to the states, Mr. McCoy's first priority was reserving his seats inside Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial stadium.
"I was very concerned with our house," Mrs. McCoy said. "I was very concerned with the layout, how many bedrooms and the location. His first thought was where he was going to sit in DKR stadium. He was more concerned with the seats in the stadium than where he was going to lay his head to sleep."
Mr. and Mrs. McCoy have been married 31 years, 13 of which they have spent stateside supporting their Longhorns both at home and on the road. They have one son, John, who graduated with a business degree from University of Texas in 1993.
"We started giving to The Longhorn Foundation because we wanted Texas to be the very best," Mr. McCoy said. "It was the best for myself, my wife and my son. We just wanted to do our part to see that continue to happen."
