Former Columbus East coach Bob Gaddis coaches the Olympians against Whiteland in 2018. Gaddis has been selected for induction into the National High School Athletic Hall of Fame.
The Republic file photo
Aside from his success as a football coach at Columbus East, Bob Gaddis has been working on the front lines to improve the game for players and coaches.
Earlier this week, Gaddis was selected for induction into the National High School Athletic Hall of Fame. This year’s induction ceremony for the Class of 2022 will take place at the NHSACA national convention June 21 at the Prairie Meadows Hotel in Altoona, Iowa.
“It is a great honor, and it’s pretty humbling because there’s a lot of great coaches that goes into that,” Gaddis said. “I’ve attended the conference, so I’ve been able to see what the organization is about. Their sole purpose really is to help and honor coaches around the country.”
This year’s Hall of Fame class includes 38 coaches from 25 states. Selections were based on longevity, service to high school athletics, honors and other specific state criteria.
The NHSACA is the oldest coaches association in the USA formed by coaches, for coaches, and has honored coaches from across the nation with induction into the NHSACA Hall of Fame since 1996. Gaddis and former Bloomington South coach Mo Moriarity are the representatives from Indiana after being nominated by a panel from the Indiana Football Coaches Association.
“He and I have been friends since we were young assistant coaches,” Gaddis said. “I think a lot of him, obviously. He’s had a tremendous career, so it will be fun to go in with Mo.”
When he retired in 2020, Gaddis was the sixth all-time winningest coach in Indiana high school football history. He went 333-143 in 42 seasons as a head coach, including 212-43 over 20 seasons with the Olympians. He led East to the Class 4A state title in 2013 and the 5A championship in 2017.
Gaddis, who also spent a decade as East’s athletics director and already is in the Indiana Football Hall of Fame, has been executive director of the IFCA since 2014 after spending eight years as assistant executive director. He is on the boards for the American Football Coaches Association and National Organization of Coaches Association
Along with eight other individuals, Gaddis started the National High School Football Coaches Alliance five years ago with the help of USA Football. He also is a member of the National Football Foundation Central Indiana Chapter and is receiving the Distinguished Citizen Award from that organization on May 15 at Primo Banquet Hall in Indianapolis.
“A lot of things they consider in this (NHSAHF Hall of Fame) is what you’ve done for your coaches association and other coaches,” Gaddis said. “Right now, I enjoy doing that stuff. That’s a way I can give back to football. The game was good to me, and I enjoy helping coaches out.”
