2007 Hall of Fame Inductees

• A. David Bolstorff

A. David Bolstorff
David Bolstorff grew up near Grand Rapids, Minnesota, and participated in football, basketball, track, and choir while attending Grand Rapids High School.

After graduating in 1951, he attended the University of Minnesota, and was a member of the Gopher football team. Freshmen didn’t play on the varsity in those days, but by the end of spring practices, Dave was the second-team defensive end.

The University of Minnesota was not the place for him, however, and Bolstorff transferred to St. Olaf College to pursue a Pre-Seminary degree program. He played offensive guard and linebacker for the Oles, earning All-Conference honors for three seasons.

Upon graduation in 1956, Dave had some discussions with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League, but decided instead to pursue the ministry at Luther Seminary in St. Paul. He did his internship at Calvary Lutheran Church in Pacoima, California, a city that just happened to be near an entry in the Pacific Coast Professional Football League. Dave jumped at the opportunity to continue playing football, and for one season, he played linebacker for the Orange County Rhinos in Anaheim. The games were televised, and the quality of play in the league was impressive. It happened to be the year before the old AFL was formed, and many players went on to play in the AFL the following year. Players earned $65 a game.

After his internship, Dave served as assistant pastor at First English Lutheran Church in Faribault, Minnesota, from 1960-62, where he met and fell in love with his life-long partner and best friend, Donna. His desire to coach led him to Augustana College in Sioux Falls where he served as assistant football coach and head wrestling coach for the next three years.

In the fall of 1965, Bolstorff’s two greatest passions—the ministry and football—came together as he was hired by Waldorf to serve as College Chaplain, Student Counselor, and to assist with the football team. In Dave’s third year as a Warrior assistant, head football coach and Hall-of-Famer, Bob Bungum, suffered a heart attack. Dave took the reins of the Waldorf football team at that time. Success soon followed.

Competing in the National Junior College Athletic Association, the 1968 squad posted a 5-3 record, followed by an undefeated season in 1969. The Warriors followed that with eleven consecutive winning seasons, including another undefeated season in 1975.

The late 80’s and mid-90’s belonged to the Warriors as well. Waldorf earned its first bowl appearance in 1989 and won the RC Cola Bowl in 1993 and 1994, and the Pepsi Cola Bowl in 1997.

Bolstorff guided the Warrior program for 40 seasons, compiling a record of 189-184-2. He coached 38 All-Americans, 21 Academic All-Americans, and numerous All-Region players. Twelve of his former athletes signed with NFL teams. In 1997, Bolstorff was honored by his peers with an induction into the National Junior College Athletic Association Football Coaches Hall-of-Fame and is currently eighth on the NJCAA all-time wins list.

Through the course of 42 years at Waldorf College, Dave really did it all. He served as College Chaplain, Associate Professor of Religion, Student Counselor, Head Football Coach, and even coached the men’s basketball team for two seasons. He also managed to find enough time to publish two books entitled Reflections from the Sideline and Book of Prayer and Prose.

In tribute to what Dave meant to Waldorf College and the Warrior football program, the football field was named in his honor in 1995.

Coach Bolstorff led Waldorf’s transition into the NAIA in the fall of 2003, and handed the reins over to his successor following the 2006 season.

Regardless of how impressive Dave’s coaching resume is with victories, Bowl appearances, All-Americans, former players in the NFL, Hall-of-Fame inductions, etc., David Bolstorff will long be remembered at Waldorf for the thousands of students’ lives he has impacted through his teaching, coaching, counseling, and ministry. That same impact has been felt by the many staff and faculty he worked alongside—always being a valued colleague, mentor, and friend.

Dave has always truly embodied the mission of Waldorf College—by educating the whole person in the spirit of Jesus Christ, enabling the individual to experience fulfillment through a life of service.

Thank you Dave, for your many contributions and service to Waldorf College.