BALLSTON SPA — Legendary local football coach William Scott has died, ending a legacy that began at Ballston Spa High School before World War II.

Scott, 97, was the namesake of the Ballston Spa sports teams, the Scotties.

Scott was hired as the sole physical education instructor for Ballston Spa schools in 1940, a time when the school had no athletic teams. He retired from the district in 1976, but continued to assist football coaches and Ballston Spa teams over two additional decades.

In an interview with The Daily Gazette in 1995, Scott said, "When you like to do something, what the heck, time flies."

A celebration of Scott's life will be held in the high school auditorium at 6 p.m. July 23, with a reception to follow in the cafeteria, according to district spokesman Stuart Williams.

The family has requested in lieu of flowers and cards that contributions be made to the William R. Scott Memorial Scholarship Fund at the school through Ballston Spa National Bank.