Miller leading baseball program at Perry Central

By STEVE KRAH

http://www.IndianaRBI.com

With a message of “believe,” Jeff Miller returns to coach baseball at Perry Central Junior/Senior High School in Leopold, Ind. — this time as the man in charge of the Commodores program.

“We want them to be fine young men and teach them the game of baseball and to always believe in themselves,” says Miller, who has helped at various high schools in southern Indiana, including Perry Central (who doing his student teaching while earning an education degree at the University of Southern Indiana), Cannelton and Tell City as well as with Rockport American Legion Post 254 and the Southern Indiana Spikes travel organization.

A 1988 graduate of Cannelton, where he played baseball for Gary Hanan, who instilled that push-forward mentality, Miller owns a industrial supplies/promotional materials business in Perry County. He and wife Michelle have three sons — Reese Miller (Class of 2014), Gant Miller (Class of 2016) and Bren Miller (Class of 2021) — who all played baseball at Tell City.

Long-time Post 254 manager Jim Haaff has amassed well over 1,000 Legion ball victories is an Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Famer with a street and field in Rockport named after him.

“I’ve been around that program since I was a young child,” says Miller, who had two of his sons play for Haaff. “He was a big influence — still is to this day.”

Hired to be Commodores head coach last fall, Miller has led PC players through fall and winter IHSAA Limited Contact Period activities and the first official day of practice — March 11 — is soon approaching.

The season opener is slated for March 29 at South Spencer with the home opener March 30 against Corydon Central.

It appears there will be about 22 players for varsity and junior varsity teams.

Among the returnees is Travis Kellems (Class of 2024) has signed to play at Southeast Illinois College.

Recent graduates going on to the college game include Reece Davis (Southeast Illinois) and Wes Scamahorn (Oakland City).

Perry Central (enrollment around 370) is a member of the Patoka Lake Conference (with Crawford County, Mitchell, Orleans, Paoli, Springs Valley and West Washington).

The Commodores are part of an IHSAA Class 2A sectional grouping in 2024 with Evansville Mater Dei, Forest Park, North Posey, South Spencer and Tell City. Perry Central has won one sectional title — 2023.

The championship was earned by besting Forest Park and North Posey at Forest Park.

Miller’s 2024 assistant coaches include Jason Hubert, Andrew Harpenau and Brian Lawalin. One or two may be added to the staff.

Miller says Perry Central’s on-campus field is to get new sod. The diamond is shared with the junior high team of seventh and eighth graders. 

Also feeding the high school program is Perry Youth Baseball and various travel teams.

The Commodores may be followed on the Perry Central High School Baseball Facebook page.

Jeff Miller.

Perry Central Junior/Senior High School.

Hoover now steering Perry Central Commodores

BY STEVE KRAH
http://www.IndianaRBI.com

Ryan Hoover is now in charge of the baseball program at Perry Central Junior-Senior High School in Leopold, Ind.
The 2023 season will be Hoover’s first as a varsity head coach.
The past two years Hoover coached Evansville North’s middle school team. He has been a travel ball coach the past four or five years, including with the Evansville-based and Jeremy Johnson-run Razorback Baseball Club and an assistant on Adam Hines’ staff at Henderson (Ky.) County High School.
Perry Central (enrollment around 400) is a member of the Patoka Lake Athletic Conference (with Crawford County, Mitchell, Orleans, Paoli, Springs Valley and West Washington).
The Commodores are part of an IHSAA Class 2A sectional grouping in 2023 with Evansville Mater Dei, Forest Park, North Posey, South Spencer and Tell City. Perry Central has not yet won a sectional title.
During the fall IHSAA Limited Contact Period, Hoover had Perry Central players working two days a week for two hours. Most of the time was spent on defense with hitting at the end of the sessions.
This winter has been mostly two days a week of weight training and two days of hitting and arm care (with weighted baseballs).
Hoover pays attention to his pitchers and has paid attention to pitch counts even before experiencing the rule set in place by the IHSAA (1 to 35 pitches requires 0 days rest; 36 to 60 requires 1 day; 61 to 80 requires 2 days; 81 to 100 requires 3 days; and 101 to 120 requires 4 days).
“I make sure they’re getting proper rest, proper stretching and getting loose the proper way before they go out and (throw) 100 percent and really hurt their arm,” says Hoover, who wants to make sure those who might go on to college baseball are ready for the rigors of throwing which that entails.
Recent Perry Central graduates who went on to college diamonds include the Class of 2021’s Brayden Stowe (Brescia University in Owensboro, Ky. before arm injury), Reece Davis (Southeastern Illinois College) and 2021’s Wes Scamahorn (Oakland City).
Class of 2023’s Garrett Scamahorn — brother of Wes — has committed to Oakland City. Class of 2024’s Travis Kellems — a lefty pitcher and outfielder — has been receiving collegiate interest.
A 2016 graduate of Morristown (Ind.) Junior-Senior High School, Hoover was a four-year varsity baseball starter for three head coaches — Tim Hancock in 2013, Royce Carlton in 2014 and Josh Bassett in 2015 and 2016.
“(Carlton) did a real good job of teaching me about being a family as a program,” says Hoover. “The more you treat you treat your teammates as family, the harder you’re going to play for each other.
“(Bassett) put a lot of responsibility on me. When he came in I was the only returning starter. He taught me how to be a leader.”
Hoover played all over the diamond for the Yellow Jackets, but mostly at third base.
In two seasons at Vincennes (Ind.) University, Hoover was also a utility player though most of his time was spent at second base.
Chris Barney is the Trailblazers head coach.
“He taught me how to come in and get your business done,” says Hoover of Barney. “You go in, work hard and understand who you are as a player.”
Hoover did not play past VU. He transferred and earned an Information Technology degree at Indiana University-Bloomington in 2019. He now has a daytime job as an IT professional, part of the time for Perry Central.
The Commodores play and practice on-campus. On Hoover’s wish list is the leveling of the playing surface.
Hoover’s assistant coaches include Jason Hubert (who helped Hoover with the Razorbacks last summer), Andrew Harpenau and Chad Hubert at the high school. Guiding the junior high team (a mix of seventh and eighth graders which play in the spring and use the varsity field) is Brayden Stowe (son of former Perry Central head coach Adam Stowe) and Zander Poole.
Besides the junior high team, which plays in the spring against mostly Pocket Athletic Conference schools plus Owensboro Catholic another feeder is Perry Central Youth Baseball for ages 7 to 12.
“I’m pretty involved making sure we get as much participation as possible,” says Hoover. “It’s exciting for the future.”
Hoover has committed to coach a Razorbacks 14U team this summer.
Ryan and Stephanie Hoover were married in October 2022. She is a University of Evansville graduate and a physical therapist in Princeton, Ind.

Ryan Hoover.

Ryan and Stephanie Hoover.