Here’s a sidenote story about former Cougar, Steve Magleby who recently had sports hernia surgery.  His path to a successful surgery sent him through Andy Reid, head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles.  Check this out…

Steve wrote an email to BYU athletic trainer, Deniece Oates asking her opinion of the symptoms he had and what a doctor in Denmark (where Steve is playing professionally) had told him.  Deniece told him she thought it sounded like a sports hernia and sent him a link to some info about it.  She got some info for him about a doctor in Germany who specializes in sports hernias, and has developed a surgery for it.

She also told him about the few specialists there are in the US, including one in Philadelphia that also does the surgery. The one in Philadelphia is the one BYU sends its football players to.  She told him it was important to go to a specialist for the sports hernia surgery, as few are experienced at it, and BYU has had problems with someone close by who has not been doing the surgery BYU thought he was doing. She also told him the problems BYU has found with trying to avoid surgery.  Players have always come back to needing the surgery.

As Steve was going to Maryland for Christmas, he got an MRI through his father-in-law.  His Dad called BYU athletic director, Tom Holmoe about the Philadelphia surgeon.  Tom Holmoe called Eagles head coach, Andy Reid in Philadelphia, and Reid called the surgeon and Steve had surgery a few days later.Tweet

Former Cougar, Steve Magleby is a professional soccer player in Denmark now.  Here’s a Q & A with Magleby about his new found career.

Q. How did you find your way to Denmark?
A. I was looking in to some different places to try and play in Europe and Denmark stood out above the others.  I have cousins who live here and my ancestors are Danish.  Magleby is a Danish last name, pronounced mawlebu here in Denmark.  So this was the place to start.

Q. How was the tryout experience?
A. Finding tryouts was the toughest part.  Right now a lot of clubs don’t have much money and aren’t looking to buy new players.  So I had a trial with one team which went well but they decided not to keep me.  Then I found a trial with Skjold and was with them for a week before their coach offered me to stay with the team.  I had two other teams that I was looking at if things didn’t work out with Skjold.

Q. What’s Denmark like?
A. Denmark is a great place.  The weather has been really nice.  Besides the occasional rain it’s in the 70’s pretty much all the time.  It’s a very green country which reminds me a lot of my hometown in Maryland.  There is a lot of history here.  It’s a very family oriented society, which was a big plus for me and my young family.

Q. Is your hair still rock-star length?
A. Still growing.

Q. What’s the soccer style in Denmark like?
A. The players here are very skilled.  The style is pretty direct.  They like to use their wings and often bypass play through the middle of the field.  It is a very physical game here and you don’t see too much diving.

Q.  What club are you with and when do you play?
A.  The club I am with is located in Copenhagen.  Their name is Skjold and they are in the 2nd Division (which is actually the third division in Denmark.  It goes Superliga, 1st Division, 2nd Division).  We have games once a week and sometimes twice.  Our season just began and so I have to work my way in to the playing roster, but I’m confident I will be able to get some time.

Q.  How long will you be there?
A.  Not sure right now.  It depends on how things go.  Anywhere from a year – 2 or 3 even.  We’ll see how far I can get.Tweet

Former BYU soccer player, Steve Magleby is taking his game to Europe.  Magleby told Head Coach, Chris Watkins that he just finished a trial with 2nd Division Club, Skjold in Denmark.  It appears he will join the team this season, whose season just began.  He will also be training with FC Copenhagen.

Tweet