Coach Troy Miller took over the SVHS Baseball program for the 1999-2000 school year, the 2nd year of the program’s existence. He guided the program for the next 22 years until his retirement from SVHS in 2021.
During this time, Coach Miller’s teams had several runs of success. Most notably, they were Central Kansas League Champions in 2008 and in 2001, they took 2nd in the State as the 4A State Runner-Up.
While the wins and losses ebbed and flowed throughout his career, the defining mark of Coach Miller’s time leading SVHS baseball was the relationships he built with his student-athletes. Anyone could find a home on Coach Miller’s team. It did not matter if you were an All-Star that was moving on to the next level or a kid that just decided to give baseball a try as a senior in high school, Coach Miller had a spot for you and made you feel part of the team.
Lindsborg has a long history of baseball dating back to the days of Riverside Field behind what was once Dala Mart (now Dan’s RV Park). However, there was a period of time when baseball was not growing at Smoky Valley High School or the Lindsborg community and they did not have a home field. Had it not been for Coach Miller’s leadership and a kid’s desire to play for the Vikings, it is doubtful if baseball would exist at Smoky Valley High School or the Lindsborg community. For 21 of Coach Miller's 22 years, he loaded a school bus with his baseball players and traveled out of town to practice, each and every day. The varsity games were played on the Bethany College Baseball field but schedules had to be built around the Bethany schedule and our boys never truly had a home. It was Coach Miller’s love of the game and commitment to providing an opportunity to play that kept baseball alive in and well in Lindsborg.
It is our vision to recognize and celebrate Coach Miller’s contributions to baseball in the Smoky Valley by naming the new baseball field after him. We can think of no one more deserving of this honor. No one has given more to baseball in the Smoky Valley over such a long period of time than Coach Miller. We are excited for the future of Troy Miller Field.
Ky Swisher