Austin Bolt is one of the best athletes in the history of Idaho high school sports
BOISE, Idaho (BVM) — To those who know him, Austin Bolt he is a humble, hard working athlete who hates to lose. He also happens to be the premier athlete in the state of Idaho.
“People really have that sense that this guy could be something we haven’t seen in a while, just an extraordinary athlete,” said Borah High School basketball coach Jeremy Dennis. “He has basketball junkies going to football games just to watch him and football players go to basketball games just to follow him. He’s kind of a cult hero right now.”
“Usually if I go out to a store or restaurant I have at least one person recognize me,” Bolt said. “They’ll come up, tell me their name and say they love watching me play. Sometimes I’ll have kids in elementary school coming with hats and stuff asking me for an autograph.”
The problem is those people only seem to be in Idaho. Outside of the state, there is a stigma about athletes from there.
“I’ve always been pretty aware of it,” Bolt said.
Starting with travel basketball and then college recruiting, he realized that he had to prove himself even more than others.
“All the accomplishments I’m getting they’re just like, ‘Well I mean you’re from Idaho so it’s not that impressive. I mean it’s impressive, but nothing spectacular’,” Bolt said.
Those accomplishments include winning the Gatorade Idaho Player of the Year award in both football and basketball this year as a senior. He was first to do so in the history of Idaho high school sports.
“I’m just blessed to win those two awards,” Bolt said.
Bolt earned those awards by transitioning from wide receiver to quarterback for his last season of high school football. He led Borah Lions to an IDHSAA 5A state quarterfinal appearance last fall.
As a first-time QB, Bolt rushed for 1,391 yards, threw for another 1,380 and had a combined 36 touchdowns on the season.
Bolt followed up that performance with 19.4 points, 12.5 rebounds, 2.2 steals, 2.1 assists and one block per game basketball season. Leading the Lions to their second state championship in a row by taking over in the second half of the championship game. In the final half of his basketball career Bolt scored 26 of his career-high 35 to go along with six rebounds and four steals.
“We gave the ball to him and let him go to work,” Dennis said.
The only accomplishment Bolt was unable to achieve this year was completely out of his control. He was unable to defend his state championship title in the 400 meter dash due to the COVID-19 pandemic shutting down the track season.
“I was only 0.5 (seconds) from the state record so I was hoping I might be able to break that this year,” Bolt said.
Bolt said people outside of the Gem State weren’t sure how he would hold up against “real” competition. But when given the chance to prove himself, he was the best player on the field .
Playing as a tight end for the West team in the Blue-Grey All-American Bowl at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, Bolt was an integral part of a fourth quarter comeback that ended with him catching the game-winning, 25-yard pass in overtime to win, 37-30. After the game, he was named the offensive MVP.
The Boise State commit will now go on representing his home state, using that speed, size and hands to terrorize linebackers as a tight end for the Broncos team he has loved since childhood.
“My room is painted Boise State,” Bolt said. “I mean I’ve been a Boise State fan forever.”
Bolt has a long way to go and a lot of hard work to do to get where he wants to go. However, he’s going to do it in his home state in front of the people who have always believed in him while proving to others around the nation that the tight end from Idaho is no joke.
“He could go to the NFL,” Dennis said.
