GRAND FORKS - Brooks Bollinger, a former NFL quarterback from Grand Forks, will become the new football coach at Hill-Murray High School in Maplewood, Minn.
Bollinger, who played for the Minnesota Vikings from 2006 until he was released in 2008, recently retired from football after playing two seasons for the Florida Tuskers, where he was the United Football League MVP in 2009. He currently resides in the Twin Cities.
When he announced his retirement, Bollinger said he would consider coaching opportunities.
A few days later, Bollinger met with Hill-Murray activities director Bill Lechner, who had read the story in the Herald that Bollinger was retiring.
"I was just kind of taking a breath and seeing what was out there and at least for the time being I wanted to stay in the area," Bollinger told the Minneapolis Star Tribune. "I just went over there to sit down with (Lechner); kind of seeing what he's all about and it was just a perfect fit. Just to get an opportunity to be a part of that school. I just couldn't pass it up."
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Bollinger's father, Rob, is a former UND assistant coach who was the Sioux offensive coordinator.
Bollinger said he gave thought to coaching at the college or pro level but likes the fact working at the high school level will be easier on his family.
"You can stay in one place for a greater period of time, you can be part of the community," Bollinger said.
"I would say on some level I probably wanted to be a coach before I wanted to be a player. Playing was always fun but really I was always around my dad and his staff and always looked up to those guys, as well as the players, and was around them a ton ... I always knew that (coaching) was something that I'd like to do."
