Reggie Bolton, City College’s new head football coach sits in his small, bright office. His manner is intimidating but assuring, a mixture that seems to work well with his players.
“Players definitely respond to coach Bolton,” said offensive coordinator Jason Fowle.
Bolton, who was an assistant coach at Humbolt State and Sacramento City College for a combined eight years before coming to City College, believes a balance of character between a daunting and caring coach is essential to his coaching success.
“At times you have to be hard, but you have to develop off-the-field relationships so that on the field they don’t take it personally,” Bolton said.
Coach Bolton’s hard side may come from his high expectations of his players.
“I expect more of them than I expect of myself,” he said. “I expect them to go further.”
Bolton, an all-conference linebacker at Humboldt State, believes that a coach must be a mentor as well, because a coach’s affect on his players does not stop at the sidelines.
“All the values they learn out there affect their everyday lives,” he said.
If Bolton wasn’t coaching, he would be working as a juvenile probation officer, he said.
“I thrive on dealing with those players that need that extra help,” Bolton added.
Coach Bolton does not just preach the values of a coach, but he realizes the responsibilities and applies them to his job.
Bolton insists the most important part of coaching is “developing people into good young citizens.”
Players aside, coach Bolton brings a desire to win and to develop a strong football program at City College.
“I hope to get our kids to play hard and establish a winning tradition,” he said.
Bolton not only brings desire to this team, but the value of leadership and discipline as well, Fowle said.
Most apparent in Bolton’s overall demeanor is his proud, but not brash, disregard for failure, which he describes as “a commitment to excellence.”
Bolton has some big shoes to fill this season, replacing former head coach Carmen DiPoalo, who had been a part of the program for the past 30 years.
With a brand new field and a strong coaching staff, Bolton has all the tools neccessary to bring a winning tradition back to City College.