Photo provided Bartholomew Consolidated School Corp. Superintendent Chad Phillips, left, and Columbus East High School Athletic Director David Miller, right, honor former East football coach Bob Gaddis, center, at the BCSC school board meeting Monday night. Members of the BCSC board, who voted to name East’s stadium for Gaddis, are shown in the background.
Bartholomew Consolidated School Corp. board members have unanimously voted to rename the football stadium at Columbus East High School for its all-time most-wins coach.
The stadium is being named for Bob Gaddis and will be formally dedicated next football season at the Columbus North-Columbus East football game, according to school officials.
Gaddis was joined by David Miller, athletic director at East, at the podium before the vote on Monday night.
“Stafford Field at Bob Gaddis Stadium will both honor two coaching legends and serve as the top of the line venue for years to come,” Miller said. “I personally spoke with Coach Stafford today, and he is honored and excited to share his name at Columbus East High School.”
In receiving the honor, Gaddis remarked that “this wasn’t just me” going on to thank his former players and coaches, administrators and the community.
“I remember when Bill Jensen—who I thank every day for bringing me here as the principal— I remember when I sat in his office after he hired me and he said, ‘Coach, the reason you’re here is because of your vision.’ It was a shared vision of doing what this community can do, and that was create champions. I’m very fortunate, right place at the right time, and without a doubt, this is the best honor I’ve ever received.”
Gaddis spent 42 years in high school football earning a 330-143 overall record, with 212 of those victories coming at East. He is sixth-ranked among the all-time most-wins coaches in Indiana high school football history.
Gaddis led the Olympians to a Class 4A state championship in 2013 and a 5A state title in 2017.
From 2006 to 2015, Gaddis served as the school’s athletic director. He also held various positions within the Indiana Football Coaches Association (IFCA), where he now serves as executive director.
Gaddis was inducted into the Indiana Football Hall of Fame in 2014 and the National High School Athletic Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2022.
“Rare occasion to have the opportunity to honor a leader such as Coach Gaddis,” BCSC Superintendent Chad Phillips said after the approval. “We talk a lot about his accolades as a football coach, and it’s the reason of course that his name will forever be attached to that football stadium. But Bob Gaddis led young men and women in this community for well over a decade. And two of them particularly close to my heart that he brought along.”
“But the reason I stood up here is just to do one thing,” Phillips continued. “… In honor of Coach Gaddis, give me two claps.”
And the room echoed with two claps.
