Now in his fifth season with the Regina Thunder, the normally quiet kicker/receiver has found his voice with the Prairie Football Conference team.
"In one year, he has taken control of this group of guys," said receivers coach Sean Reader. "He is undoubtedly the one who directs them and threatens them and whatever it takes to keep them on the straight and narrow. His personality is so laid back, he never gets over-emotional about anything. And all of a sudden, this year, it was almost like he did in (Sunday's) game. He gets so ramped up.
"It's being a fifth-year. It's so important for him to finish on a strong note with wins and good performances that he wants everyone to not only hear it, but see it. He wants to show them as close to perfection as he can get."
In Regina's season-opener at the Edmonton Huskies on Sunday, Bolen was as close as most can get to perfect. The 22-year-old racked up nine receptions for 146 yards and two touchdowns in a 51-11 Regina win. Bolen also added a pair of field goals, four converts and a single to tally 23 points in the game. That's just three points shy of what he scored in all of 2008.
To think, the Thunder could have easily lost Bolen to another team in the off-season. Bolen attended the spring camp of the University of Alberta Golden Bears and the Saskatchewan Roughriders' training camp. While a professional career may be a few years away, Bolen is almost certainly ready to take his game to the CIS.
Since he decided to stay with the Thunder, Bolen plans to make the most of it.
"I wanted to finish what I started," said Bolen. "In four years, we've had some trying seasons. This year we're off to a great start and hopefully we can continue it. I wanted to come back and help some of the other younger guys out. Those opportunities will hopefully be there again next year."
Over the winter, Bolen was a weight-room regular and led a group of Thunder players in taking weekly yoga sessions to increase their flexibility.
"The guys are looking up to him not just because he's a fifth-year guy, but because of what he gives back to this team," said quarterback Reid Quest. "He gives a lot of positive criticism and he's a great leader. He tells guys when they're doing good and when they should pick it up. He says things when they need to be said."
A lot of what he does, Bolen said, comes from spending time at the U of A and with the Riders.
"Everywhere I go I learn something new and get better," said Bolen. "Just being around the great players with the Riders, the coaches at the U of A, I take in as much as I can. The Riders have been so great to me in getting to work with the receivers and Coach (Paul) LaPolice and (kickers) Luca (Congi) and Jamie (Boreham)."
And while Bolen is becoming a more vocal player in the Thunder clubhouse, ask him about his remarkable performance in Sunday's game and he returns to his self-effacing ways.
"Reid did a great job of getting the ball around and had a good day himself and I just happened to be on the end of a few of them," said Bolen. "That's just the way our offence works. Everybody is going to have a big day and (Sunday) was mine."
