Superintendent Scott Olinger is pleased to announce that Plainfield Community School Corporation’s school board has voted unanimously to hire Mr. Tyler Bless as the new Plainfield High School Associate Head Football Coach. Coach Bless will work alongside Coach Woodard for the upcoming 2022 football season, taking the helm of the program after Coach Woodard’s departure. Coach Woodard will be stepping down as coach, but still continuing as a valued member of our Science Department.
“We are excited to welcome Coach Tyler Bless to the Plainfield football program. This is a great opportunity to have a head coach join us a year in advance where he can work with the players and staff, while also getting to know the program that’s already in great shape but will continue to improve. We thank Coach Woodard for his unwavering leadership in this program for all these years and we are sure that his presence will be felt for years to come,” said Superintendent Olinger.
Coach Bless comes to us from Columbus North High School where he has been the offensive coordinator for 2 years. In addition to his new role as associate head coach of the Plainfield High School football team, Mr. Bless will be the new director of the Plainfield Opportunity Academy.
For the Bless family, football is the family business. Tyler's grandfather, Bill Bless, was head football coach for University of Indianapolis. His three sons chose to follow in their father’s footsteps. Tyler’s father, Mark Bless, is the head coach at Avon High School, while his uncle, Tim Bless, is the head coach of Columbus North, and the other uncle, Scott, is the head coach at Bloomington North. Tyler represents the next generation of Bless coaches.
Coach Bless said, “It is an honor and a privilege to be named the Director of the Plainfield Opportunity Academy, Associate Head Football Coach, and the Head Coach in waiting at Plainfield High School. Thank you to Mr. Olinger, Mr. Cooney, Mr. Schwanekamp, Mr. Menser, Mr. Rodkey, and Coach Brian Woodard for believing in me and entrusting me with these positions. My immediate goal is to develop positive relationships with students, staff, our players, their families and the Plainfield community. Courtney, Hudson, Cooper, and I are excited to join the Red Pride Family and we look forward to carrying on the rich tradition of Plainfield Football.”
Assistant Principal for Athletics Torrey Rodkey echoed Mr. Olinger’s sentiments, stating “I am thrilled that Coach Brian Woodard is returning to lead the Red Pride Football Program for one last season in 2022. I have not worked with a more professional individual who genuinely cares about his players, fellow coaches, and Plainfield Athletics. With this being his final year, we have the unique opportunity to bring in a bright, young coach in Tyler Bless for next season as the Associate Head Coach and Head Coach in Waiting. I know Coach Bless will do everything he can to help the Quakers have a successful 2022 season and prepare himself to take over the program at the conclusion of the fall season."
When asked about his final season and the hiring of Coach Bless, Coach Woodard said, “I can not express how special it has been to spend the last 25 seasons in this football program. From starting out as a 9th grade assistant to spending the last 16 years as our head coach. It truly has been a remarkable journey that my entire family has played such an important part of and I'm very much looking forward to a strong finish in 2022.
Tyler Bless will absolutely build on the foundation that many players and coaches have helped put in place. I'm extremely excited for Coach Bless and his family and I believe he will take this program to another level. He has a great football coaching lineage and varied football experiences to pull from that will certainly assist him in being very successful as our next head football coach.”
We look forward to a wonderful 2022 season with these two excellent coaches!