Former Fountain Valley, UCLA Football Player Killed

Greg Bolin, a former football player at Fountain Valley High and UCLA and a former assistant coach at Mater Dei, was killed in a traffic accident Friday. He was 32.

Bolin, riding a bicycle on Sepulveda Boulevard near UCLA, was hit by a car that had lost control and crossed the double-yellow line, according to Det. Mike Farrell of the Los Angeles Police Dept.

Bolin was transported to UCLA Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

Mater Dei Coach Bruce Rollinson said he was stunned by the news.

“I know it sounds trite,” Rollinson said, “but I remember him as a guy who enjoyed life. He’d wake up in a positive mood and continue the day that way. He was a guy who made a difference.”

Bolin had a successful athletic career in football and track at Fountain Valley. He was a first-team All-Sunset League and Times’ first-team all-county tight end in 1981. He won the school’s Doug Thompson award, named for a Fountain Valley football player killed in an auto accident in 1978.

Bolin received a scholarship to UCLA. He began his career there as a tight end, but was moved to linebacker as a junior in 1985.

Bolin, who graduated in 1987 and was set to graduate Friday from UCLA’s graduate school of business, was on UCLA teams that played in the 1984 and 1986 Rose Bowls, the 1985 Fiesta Bowl and the 1986 Freedom Bowl. He coached at Mater Dei from 1991-93.

Terry Donahue, former UCLA coach and current CBS broadcaster, said Bolin “was an outstanding person, a real solid member of our program.”

Matt Stevens grew up a block from Bolin in Fountain Valley, and was a high school and UCLA teammate. He remembered Bolin as “one of the big guys little people go to for protection. He was a big guy with huge heart; very humble, but driven.”

Bolin is survived by his parents, Charles and Katharine Bolin; sisters Chris Clarfield and Stephanie Herdrich; and a brother, Scott.

Funeral services are scheduled for 2 p.m. Thursday, in Mariner’s South Coast Community Church at Newport Beach. A viewing is scheduled from 6-9 p.m. Wednesday at the Pacific View Cemetery chapel in Newport Beach.