Running Rabbit and the Tuddy

[Brother Bear]

Suiting up for the Griz is surreal at times for Running Rabbit and reminds him how far he has come. He remembers attending a Griz football game in 2014 with his two brothers, while they were living at a children's shelter in Missoula.

At the game, he got a football signed by the team. Ten years later, the autographed ball is a special keepsake and motivation for Running Rabbit. It reminds him of all he wants to accomplish at UM, and all the doors it could open.

"That's why I work hard," he said. "It opens many paths."

Running Rabbit's stellar academic record led him to earning the Gates Scholarship, a highly-selective scholarship supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The scholarship is for outstanding minority students from low-income households and covers the full cost of earning a bachelor's degree. Running Rabbit plans to major in biology with a goal of attending pharmacy school and returning to his hometown as a pharmacist.

Running Rabbit One of Two UM Students to Earn National Academic Scholarship - University of Montana Athletics

Tommy Running Rabbit grew up in Browning with a dream of playing football for the Montana Grizzlies. Earlier this year, his dream became a reality when he si...

gogriz.com

Touchdown Tommy with by far one of the coolest moments of the game this past weekend. Looking forward to seeing him progress and impress.
When the entire team cheers you on and celebrates with you, that is awesome!

 

[MikeyGriz]

It was a great moment in the game. The entire team and stadium were fired up when he scored. Looking forward to this being the first of many such moments. If he's not a fan favorite already, he soon will be!

 

[markson161]

There was a lot of clapping for an extended period of time when he got back to the bench. What was left of the crowd showed their appreciation.

 

[billingsgriz]

I work part-time as a counselor @ The Ted Lechner Youth Service's Center in Billings, one of three county/state youth service's centers in Montana--the other two are in Great Falls and Missoula.

On the JDC ( Juvenile Detention Center)side of the facility, we have 24 cells, and about 3 weeks ago, we had a full house, with about half of our kids Natives, Crow and Cheyenne, 8 boys and three girls--one youth per cell.

When I told them about William Snell, the Crow-Hidatsa WR from Billings Central, signing with us and also about Tommy Running Rabbit, our Blackfeet RB from Browning, they smiled and their eyes lit up a little as I looked at them through the glass.window in their cell doors.

I don't want to be melodramatic and say that William Snell and Tommy Running Rabbit signing and playing for us instantly changed their lives, but I think having positive Native role models like William Snell, Tommy Running Rabbit, and Lily Gladstone is important to at least some of our Native kids given all of the problems on their reservations !!!

One of them asked me what gang I belong to. My response--I am whiter than Wonder Bread.--" The Old White Cracker Crips !" : )

 

[Brother Bear]

A 'truly amazing' touchdown moment for Browning's Tommy Running Rabbit in Montana win over Indiana State

Montana's 63-20 win over Indiana State last week at Washington-Grizzly Stadium allowed for players who may not normally see the field get meaningful reps, one being Tommy Running Rabbit.

www.montanasports.com