Northside Football Ball Boy Pivotal to Success

Every role matters for any entity. Regardless if the roles are in the job setting or on a sports team, if everyone buys in and play their part it will turn into successes. Northside football has had the same ballboy for nearly 50 years.

Ricky Simmons, known as Rick Rack, has been the caretaker of the Eagles’ footballs since graduating from the school in the ’70s.

He began his job as ballboy under former Northside under former Eagles head coach Conrad Nix, who took over the head coaching duties in 1973.

Rarely missing games, even in a fight with cancer, Rick remains a reliable piece of the team with even being considered as a member of the coaching staff.

“He started working for Coach Nix in the 70’s while he was a student,” Eagles head coach Alligood said. “His attitude never changed. This past year he battled cancer and it never slowed him down. His only worry was not missing a football game.”

Rick has seen the highs and lows of Northside football with their championship wins in 2006, 2007 and 2014 along with their 2009 and 2018 state losses.

“He’s just as much a part of us winning a state championship as any player,” Alligood said. “He’s had a couple kids that have played for us here. When we lose, the players see a guy with a broken heart and when we win they see an elated guy who has poured time and energy into this program. They don’t like to disappoint Rick.”

Rick showed the epitome of ‘once an Eagle, always an Eagle’ when Alligood left Northside to take on a head coaching job at Washington-Wilkes High School by making sure that they stayed in touch while the playcaller was at another institution.

Check out the rest in our Georgia February/March 2021 magazine right here for FREE! This issue features Jabari Smith from Sandy Creek, Matthew Cleveland from Pace Academy, and more great athletes.

Click here to purchase the South Georgia print version to have at home!