BILLINGS, Mont. – When the gates at Yellowjacket Field are locked tight and the turf is empty, the Montana State University Billings men's soccer team is far from disbanded and quiet.
 
While the team's pride for its school shows more than ever in the midst of Great Northwest Athletic Conference soccer matches, the dedication and commitment the players display towards MSUB off the field is at a similarly-high level.
 
Their presence can be felt when the MSUB women's soccer team takes the pitch at the City College campus, as well as back on the main MSUB campus inside Alterowitz Gym at home Yellowjacket volleyball games. The MSUB men have even been known to break into chorus inside the main cafeteria, serenading unsuspecting diners with positive cheers signifying their passion for the navy and gold.
 
Not only is the group vocal – their antics perhaps best described as organized chaos – the men's soccer 'Jackets never lack for creativity while displaying their school pride.
 
Leading the charge every time, whether MSUB is taking the field or taking charge of the Hive student section in Alterowitz, is Sam Butterworth, the most vocal and passionate figure of them all.
 
Considering he grew up within the culture of European soccer, cheering on his beloved Manchester United for as long as he can remember, the fact that Butterworth's passion is transferrable to his college team is no surprise.

"When I grew up I first started playing football when I was three, so that's when I really watched them and got into it," Butterworth said regarding former Manchester United heroes David Beckham and Eric Cantona. "I have been to Champions League games, and I've always worn predators because of Beckham."
 
As it is referred to in Butterworth's native town of Maidstone in Kent, England, football is very much a generational game that springs deep roots within his family. "My great grandfather Ken taught me how to kick a ball, and my dad and his friend started a team that I played on when I was younger," Butterworth said regarding his father David Butterworth.
 
Splitting his time between dawning Manchester United red and honing his own game on the pitch, Butterworth progressed as a strong technical player to the point where soccer at the next level began to present itself as a realistic opportunity. Partnering with a scouting company in England, Butterworth worked his way through a multifaceted player development process designed to pick out the best talent from the equivalent of the British prep ranks.
 
"We went for an interview at Stamford Bridge, which is Chelsea's stadium, played three games that were videotaped, and then went to a showcase which picked out the top players," Butterworth remembered about the recruiting process. "That's where the US coaches see you, and that's when I first spoke to the head coach here at the time, Dan McNally."
 
McNally, also a native of England, liked what he saw in Butterworth and the decision was made to bring him into the Yellowjacket family. "My first time (in the United States) was my freshman year in 2012," Butterworth remembered. "I have always been to smaller schools where football has been the main focus. Scholarship wise it was a great fit and it was also a completely different culture."
 
Having never even visited America before, Butterworth was unsure what to expect as he prepared to begin his college experience. It was not long before he began to draw parallels between Billings and his home town, citing the similarity in size as one of the main factors making the transition seem more natural.
 
On the pitch however, the differences were numerous, and Butterworth went through a shift in mindset to help him adapt to the American game. "At home, we would end at 90 minutes if it was a draw, and playing 110 minutes shocked me when I first got here," Butterworth said regarding the NCAA rule of an overtime period if a game is tied after regulation. "I've had to adapt to be more fit because of weather as well. At home I live at 80 feet (above sea level) and now I am at 3,000 feet."
 
Not only has Butterworth made the transition, he has embraced the American game and begun to thrive within an entirely new system of soccer.
 
"Sam has undergone tremendous growth as a person in his time at MSUB, and I know that the structure of the program has helped him with that," said current MSUB head coach Alex Balog. "He has gone through the ups and downs of the program and has experienced a losing season and a winning season. He has the ability to relay those experiences to the younger players and explain to them the importance of what we as a coaching staff try to tell them."
 
Among a team of a dozen international players, Butterworth is one of two players from England. Thomas Saltwell, who hails from Essex in London, has adapted to the game in a similar way as he starts along the Yellowjackets' back line next to Butterworth. "Tom's freshman year he played left center back and I played on the left," Butterworth said. "Coming from England, you just know straight away how to play with one another."
 
Despite living just 40 minutes apart, the two never crossed paths as youth soccer players growing up. Now they are roommates, further tightening their bond off the field as friends. "Friendship wise, we both relate to our home and we talk to each other about the same things," Butterworth commented. "We have the same sense of humor and he understands me."
 
Now in his third season as a starter within the Yellowjacket program, Butterworth cited several role models who he looked up to as a younger player on the squad. "My freshman year I didn't think I'd come in and be a starter, but to play next to a senior captain it was nice because he was a very good player," Butterworth said regarding former captain and now assistant coach Conner Moe. "Thomas Chameraud, who is now an assistant coach, was another player I looked up to because he created everything on the field and took responsibility for players. He battled in every game and put his body on the line."
 
Having former teammates as assistants has helped Butterworth hone his game, as the philosophy of MSUB soccer has been embedded into him and reflects within the way that he plays the game. "The fact that Sam has been a starter since his freshman year is something for our current freshmen to strive for," Balog said. "He can give them pointers to help them achieve the same type of success he has experienced."
 
Since starting the 2014 season with a record of 0-3-2, Butterworth and the Yellowjackets have embarked on a four-game unbeaten streak and have won three games in-a-row to bring their record to an even 3-3-3. Additionally, MSUB is 3-1-1 in conference play and currently sits in third place in the GNAC standings.
 
"We started the year poorly, but I think the change from last year is that all of the boys have character and the will to win," Butterworth said regarding the transformation in attitude. "We need a team that stays together no matter what, and that's how we will push forward this week and the week after on the road."
 
With four-straight conference road games coming up, there is nothing simple or easy about the task facing the 'Jackets. "Seattle Pacific is going to be very hard this week, but we have the confidence of everyone on the team to gel together," Butterworth said regarding Thursday's match against the No. 6 team in the NCAA. "That character showed when we fought back to tie Simon Fraser, and now we are pushing on, unbeaten in our last four games."
 
While Butterworth holds strong as a defensive anchor for MSUB, a significant part of his value lies within his ability to push forward and bolster the team's offense. Having started seven matches this season, Butterworth leads the team with three assists out of the back.
 
"Sam's instincts push him forward, so we expect him to contribute offensively from both the left back and left midfield positions," said Balog. "Above all else, I want and expect him to give one hundred percent for the program day-in and day-out, and to take up more leadership responsibilities."
 
Midway through his third season of American soccer, Butterworth explained that the largest transformation has not come within his style of play on the field. "My footballing hasn't changed, and I've always been that person who is loud on the field," Butterworth said. "As a student-athlete, you really have that name 'student' and you have a responsibility to represent MSUB in the right way. We have to show others that if we can do well in school as student-athletes, then they can do well also. We are role models and they look up to us in a way."
 
"Coming in, Sam was used to a completely different scholastic system back home in England," Balog commented. "It took him a little while to adjust to the American educational system, but I feel he is on par now."
 
Now relied upon as a leader by example both on and off the field, Butterworth will undoubtedly continue to have an impact on team chemistry as he further strengthens the bond that is the trademark of MSUB's program. As for his passion for MSUB athletics as a whole, his unwavering support and commitment to the university relates back to his roots. The MSUB hooligans are alive and well contributing in a positive manner towards the game environment at all Yellowjacket home events, and no one cheers louder than Butterworth.
 
"Culture wise, coming from Europe, that's just what you do," Butterworth said. "You go to the professional stadiums, and hear 60 thousand cheering. We give all of the other teams support, because we are all part of MSUB at the end of the day. We are all student-athletes and we know what that takes, and it is nice to help other teams strive forward in their seasons as well."