He was a 1976 graduate of Ohio University and began his teaching and coaching career in the Trimble Local School District.
From 1979 until 1983, he was the head football coach at Trimble. During that time his teams compiled an overall record of 33 wins, 15 losses, and 3 ties. His 1980 team completed the regular season with a perfect record of 10 wins and no losses and was ranked third in the state of Ohio. At the conclusion of that season, he was honored as the Coach of the Year for the state of Ohio.
After leaving Trimble, tonight's honoree continued his coaching career at Waverly High School, where he served as head football coach for 18 seasons. At Waverly his teams won 114 games while losing 67.
A single successful season can be attributed to a variety of factors, but a string of 23 successful seasons can only be attributed to good coaching. Careers in athletics are often remembered by the statistics that summarize the games that were played. By that measure, tonight's honoree had a very successful career, having won over 63% of his 232 games as a head coach.
But the greatest achievements of any coach are recorded not on a scoreboard, or in league standings, or by overall winning percentage.
The most significant progress that a coach makes is measured not by yardage gained, or points scored, but by the way that a coach influences the development of his players, first as athletes, but more importantly, as individuals.
Coach Ed Bolin was very demanding, and he had high expectations for his players, his coaches and for himself. He was honest, direct, and sometimes sarcastic in confronting and correcting those whose performance did not meet his expectations.
Coach Bolin set the bar at a very high level, and then began working to get over it. He taught his players to maximize their potential and through their athletic achievements, his players developed self-confidence and self-respect. The qualities that he instilled in his players as a means of achieving success on the playing field carry over into their adult lives.
Coach Bolin was the speaker at the Trimble Alumni Football Players banquet in 2001. During that speech he paid a tremendous compliment to his former players. In describing the successful years that he had while coaching the Tomcats, Coach Bolin said that Trimble never was the biggest team, they never were the fastest team, and they never were the strongest team, but they always were the team that played with the most
heart, and the most courage.
The Tomcat Excellence Award is not based solely on the statistical achievements of an athletic career, but it is instead a very personal award, presented by people who knew, and wish to honor the person selected.
Tonight, his former players would like to honor Coach Ed Bolin through the presentation of the Tomcat Excellence Award. Presenting the award on behalf of the Trimble Alumni Football Players Association will be Trimble High School Principal John Abdella.
As you know, Coach Bolin passed away in December of last year. Accepting the award will be Ed's wife, Sue Ann, his mother, Katherine, and other family members who are present this evening.
On behalf of the Trimble Alumni Football Players Association and all of the Tomcat fans, we would like to express our appreciation for the positive contribution made to Tomcat football and the Trimble Community by coach Ed Bolin.