The following press release is from the South Orange-Maplewood School District:
After many seasons of varying sporting results, Columbia High School’s football program is seeing a reinvigorating boost in student enthusiasm.
In the competitive world of high school football, athletic talent without strategic mentorship often falls flat. That’s where Lys Rubens Blanc, Columbia’s new head football coach, comes in. His approach to combining athletic talent with strategic mentorship will give Columbia High School a competitive advantage both on and off the field.
With new leadership, the sport is expected to improve not only during the upcoming fall season but for many years to come.
“Our program will develop talent,” Blanc explained to a crowd of interested high school parents on Monday, February 3 at Columbia’s Black Box Theatre. “We’ve produced college coaches and a current NFL player – solid proof that Columbia’s athletic program can prepare student-athletes for the next level.”
Coach Lys Rubens Blanc
Blanc’s coaching pathway spans 14 years across New Jersey’s educational landscape—from the hallways of Union to the fields of Hillside High School. His credentials are full of resilience and strategic acumen: eight playoff appearances and a 2022 Sectional State Championship appearance that showcased his tactical prowess.
“It’s not just about winning games,” Blanc says. “It’s about developing young men who understand discipline, teamwork, and personal growth.”
His coaching portfolio is studded with notable achievements. He nurtured the talents of Jamauri Bogan, the 2012 New Jersey Gatorade Player of the Year, and guided Yosh Nijman, a Columbia High School alumnus, during his development before reaching the NFL with the Carolina Panthers. Most recently, Darren Ikinnagbon, another player Blanc coached, secured a coveted spot in the University of Georgia’s 2025 recruiting class.
Athletic Director Sjocquelyn Winstead sees Blanc as more than a coach. “He doesn’t just develop athletes,” Winstead noted. “He cultivates leaders in high school sports programs.”
Winstead and Coach Blanc are working to establish a Middle School football program in the community, which will launch by fall 2026. This initiative will create the much-needed feeder program that is missing in the Maplewood and South Orange youth communities.
Blanc is also no stranger to being on the field. A product of youth sports, the new head coach’s athletic journey started at Irvington High School, where he played defensive back and running back. His collegiate career at Kean University deepened his understanding of the sport’s complexities and inspired him to make upcoming students’ athletic journeys just as enriching.
Beyond the football field, Blanc brings academic rigor to his coaching philosophy. With degrees in public administration and business marketing, he represents a distinct archetype of coach—part strategist, part educator.
“High school sports are such a powerful way to help our students grow, both on and off the field,” said Frank Sanchez, principal of Columbia High School. “Coach Blanc truly understands this. His strong academic background and coaching experience show our students that they can excel in both their studies and athletics, proving that success in one area fuels success in the other.”
The football community awaits the upcoming football season where CHS’s Cougar athletes will bring strong teamwork to the Lynn V. Profeta Field at Underhill Sports Complex. Head Coach Blanc is poised to guide the next chapter in the program’s shifting narrative of ambition, skill, and camaraderie.
About the School District of South Orange & Maplewood
The School District of South Orange & Maplewood proudly serves around 7,000 students across ten schools, including one early childhood center, six elementary schools, and two middle schools that prepare students to succeed at Columbia High School – New Jersey’s oldest public high school. The district creates a learner-centered environment that offers multiple pathways for academic success through reimagined structures, support, and innovative instructional methods for all students.
