Blake Woodard


Together.

That was the best place for senior Blake Woodard to be.

Together with his team. Together with his dad, Coach Brian Woodard. Just together.

Having grown up with the Plainfield football program, everything came together for Woodard his senior year. 

“I have truly been a part of the Plainfield Football Program ever since my dad took the job in the winter of 2005 as a fan, water boy, ball boy, scout team player and a both-way varsity starter,” he explained. “Football has taught me a lot. Football is the ultimate team game; you have to have unflinching trust in your teammates and coaches on any given play to have success. And the same is true in the real world.”

The real world was where Woodard was headed after graduation – but he felt that his time on and off the field prepared him well for his future. And that thought of being ‘together’ was never far from his mind.

“Football has molded me into a competitor. Life is going to present adversity to you constantly, but how do you overcome it and break through?,” he asked. “Football taught me how to overcome adversity – not only by myself, but with other people around me to lean on along the way.”

That focus on teamwork colored his view on life, both on and off the field. “If enough people care, we can accomplish anything,” he said. “Before we take the field before every game, we say the following, ‘1-2-3 TOGETHER! 1-2-3 TOGETHER! 1-2-3 TOGETHER!’ Anything in life or on the field or court is better accomplished together. There is no better feeling than being on a team that is truly connected and together.”

Of course, his dad was always a part of that mix. Woodard acknowledged that he was in a unique position, having his father as not only his head coach, but his position coach as well. “My dad pushed me harder than anyone in the program on any given day, and for that I am thankful,” he said. “He takes his job very seriously and that impacts our whole family as a whole, but I think anyone in my family would tell you it is worth it.”

Over the years, the elder Woodard shared quite a bit of advice with his son. One thing that stuck out to Woodard was when his dad told him, “Everything in life is earned, not given.” He explained, “From the football perspective, we always talk about how you have to earn the right to win on Friday by practicing all out Monday through Thursday. In life, in order to do well on a test, you need to study, to get into a college you need to construct a solid application, and to get your dream job you need to prepare to knock out your interview. This idea is backed up by one of my favorite quotes, ‘You can’t cheat the grind. It knows how much you have invested. It won’t give you anything you haven’t worked for.’”

Woodard took this notion to heart and looking back, explained that he gave 100% and more while he was in high school. “I left no stone unturned as an athlete or student in my four years at PHS,” he said. “I will always be able to look myself in the mirror when I look back on high school and know I gave it all.”

\tFor those following in his footsteps, Woodard had one piece of advice for them: “Be willing to risk failure. All athletes owe it to themselves to have 100% confidence in themselves, and their teammates because of all the hard work and time that goes into any sport,” he said. “You will never get 10 of your buddies together and go play Mooresville on a Friday night at age 40 in front of 4,000 people. Every opportunity you get, go make a memory with the people you have grown up with and played with for a decade plus. And more specifically to football, the feeling and rush you get when you walk out of those doors to take the field in front of your school and community isn’t coming back, so cherish every opportunity you get.”