Brothers join forces: Brad and Bobby Bolding set to coach Parkview football
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Boldings, assemble! After leading White Hall to the Class 5A final, 3-time state champion and Arkansas high school coaching great Bobby Bolding is joining his younger brother Brad at Parkview as defensive coordinator.
“We’ve always been close,” Brad said, “So the fact that we’ll be on the same team this time will be even better… Him being my brother kind of puts icing on the cake.”
Bobby Bolding is recognized as an all-time great Arkansas preps coach, compiling a record of 220-78-3 since becoming a head coach in 1998. He won a state title with Stuttgart in 2002 and went back-to-back at Pine Bluff from 2014-15.
Each the son of Arkansas Sports Hall of Famer and coaching great Buzz Bolding, Brad and Bobby will work together for the first time in over 30 years, when the two were on the staff at Arkansas-Monticello.
“He’s only one of two guys in Arkansas history who have taken three different teams to the state championship,” Brad said. “He’s been to the state championship nine times and I’ve been to the semifinals nine times, so we’ll figure out what it takes to get over that hump.”
Brad took state with Greenwood as an assistant in 2000. He’s since been the head coach at North Little Rock and Parkview. While grateful to invite a brother and friend to his sideline, Brad hopes Bobby can be a key piece to the puzzle in a chase for his first state title as a head coach.
“That’s where his knowledge and wisdom will come in,” Brad said. “I can already hear it, people are going to say ‘You had to bring your brother in to win it.’ What I’m going to say is ‘Maybe so, but I’m sure glad it happened.'”
In the so-called Bolding Bowls, Bobby and Brad facing off eight times as head coaches, Brad boasts a 5-3 edge. His Patriots defeated his brother’s Bulldogs 13-10 last season. More important than bragging rights, Brad is excited to have his brother on for the ride to earn Parkview’s first state title since 1978.
“Bobby wants me to coach him like I do all the other assistants. He doesn’t want to be treated any different,” Brad said. “I just can’t say enough about it. I’m lucky.”
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