BILLINGS — Nobody is more dedicated to the Billings West football program than Will Moody.
A local Special Olympics hero, Moody is celebrating a milestone this season as it's his 15th year as the Golden Bears' ball boy.
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"I wanted to be a ball boy to be closer to the team and get to know the guys a lot more each year and get the ball quicker to the referees and be the best ball boy in the state," Moody told MTN Sports.
"It's a lot of fun to be with the guys. They try to come out to my sports if I tell them ahead of time, and if they can they come out and cheer myself and my teammates on."
In those 15 seasons, Moody has amassed some great memories, but none stand up to a game nearly a decade back.
"My favorite memory was the 2018 state championship game in Billings, Montana. We were against the Flathead Braves. We stopped them all four downs on the goal line and we won the championship in a snow blizzard," Moody said.
You can find Will and his brother Tommy roaming the West sidelines on Friday nights. In fact, Will even draws up plays for the Bears to use in games, which they did this past weekend against Bozeman.
"Will always likes to draw up plays and we put one in and called it his nickname, 'Mud Puppy.' So we ran it and it was the pass that (running back) Tyreke (Jones) threw to (quarterback) Seth Williamson," West wide receivers coach James Stanton said.
Moody is also a source of inspiration for West athletes. He's taken control of improving his health, as he walks roughly 20,000 steps per day.
"He's lost about 20 pounds this season, so that's a good goal, and he's taken on a lot of that himself," Stanton said. "At first it was almost like we were forcing him to do it, but not exactly. But he kind of just wanted to, and he bought into it. He bought into it and started taking it on his own."
"That definitely pushes us. Seeing him walk at practice and try to make is life a hell of a lot better, that definitely pushes us to work harder at practice and work harder anywhere we go," tight end Kolter Hale said.
Fifteen years under his belt and there's no end in sight as Moody truly bleeds the black and gold.
