Miller spreads 'Coach of the Year' credit around

By Bruce Wallace
Wednesday, July 1, 2009 9:36 AM CDT

Let's face it, if Tillie Bill had not unleashed a 30-yard bomb for the first goal in the district title game - which led to two more scores - and the SoBoCo Eagles defense, seemingly held together with baling wire and athletic tape, had not suffocated the Fatima Comets defense, this story might not be about Chris Miller.

But Miller and assistant coach Darlene Moore put together a plan for the Eagles girls soccer team, combined it good athletic talent and a small dose of literature and famous quotes and finished one step away from playing in soccer's final four.

For his efforts, Miller was named Class 1 Coach of the Year for the second time, being previously honored after the fall 2007 boys season in which his team won the first Eagles district soccer title.

But Miller is quick to deflect attention from his personal honors, reminding anyone who asks that assistant coach Moore spent as many hours working with the players and that the players themselves did the work in practice and carried the load in games.

"In all fairness, we had two very different teams and different situations," Miller said of his two district titles. "I fell into a very good situation with the boys team and the girls we knew would have a chance to do some great things this year.....and they did everything we asked of them."

Miller had success in starting a program at Moberly and as the girls head coach in Jefferson City, where the program he built won two district titles after he left.

"He was really dedicated to the players and helped make us successful," said recent Jefferson City graduate and soccer player Kelsey Sanders. "He works with you and gives you a lot of confidence."

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