Lakota West's Tom Bolden Wins Cincinnati Bengals' Paul Brown Coaching Award

Bolden won the award after leading Lakota West to a 11-2 record and the team's fourth Greater Miami Conference title

Lakota West head coach Tom Bolden talks with the referees before their game against St. Xavier Friday, Aug. 23, 2024. / Tony Tribble for The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Cincinnati Bengals' on Thursday announced that Lakota West head coach Tom Bolden was the winner of the Paul Brown Coaching Award.

This past 2024 season, Bolden led Lakota West to 11-2 record, which also included the team's fourth Greater Miami Conference title and a berth in the OHSAA Division I, Region 4 semifinal.

According to the Bengals' press release, Bolden took over the Lakota West back in 2019 and has led the Firebirds to the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) playoffs in each of his six seasons as head coach.

Bolden holds an overall record of 61-13 as Lakota West's lead man and holding a all-time .824 winning percentage. The Firebirds' head coach collected a 132-21 record, leading the team to 12 Greater Miami Conference championships, seven undefeated regular seasons and a Division I state runner-up finish in 2018.

Per the release, before Bolden took the Lakota West job, he spent 12 seasons between 2007-18 as head coach at Colerain High School. Before he arrived at Lakota West, the Firebirds went 118-110 with five playoff appearances in just over two decades.

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