For the first time since the mid-2000s the Washington baseball team will have a new face leading the charge next year, as Nathan Miller recently announced his intentions to step down as head varsity coach.

The 1998 Washington High School grad has been in a head coaching role for the last 17 summers including taking over for the Demons in 2008, a year after winning a class 1A championship with IMS. In his 14 years at the helm, the orange and black have had 13 winning seasons and advanced to the state tournament twice in 2011 and 2012. Miller has been involved in all three of the program’s state appearances by being an all state pitcher for the 1998 team that qualified.

Reflecting on the last 14 years, Miller tells KCII Sports it was a great ride. “It has been an absolute privilege to lead the baseball team at Washington. We have had great assistant coaches and great kids that have bought into the system that we have implemented. My first year we had 25 kids in grades 8-12 and the last few years we have consistently been in the mid-40s. That is a reflection of the players wanting to compete at high levels and buy into the program. To graduate in 1998 and have an opportunity to coach at my alma mater for 14 years was fantastic.” 

Miller had 33 former players that went on to play college baseball and eight that took up coaching, something that makes him proud. Stepping down will allow him to spend more time with family, but he plans to stick around the program and help in a smaller capacity. In 17 years of coaching, Miller has amassed a 335-203 record for a 62.2 winning percentage.