Yelm High School will search for a new head baseball coach as Zach Miller has resigned from his position. Miller, a YHS alum and former baseball player, spent two seasons as the coach of his alma mater, going 11-25-1 overall and 5-24 in league competition in his tenure.
Miller cited balancing his work schedule with raising his 3-year-old daughter as his reason for stepping down. He works as a manager at a warehouse in Tumwater, but the job often requires him to commute to Bellevue.
“I just felt like my plate was so full. Family is very important to me, and so is my work and my career,” said Miller, who played college baseball at Washington State University and was an assistant baseball coach at Tacoma Community College. “Baseball was taking that third seat. Unfortunately, I felt like I was shorting all three aspects, and I don’t think it’s fair to all three of them.”
Though the Tornados struggled to win games in Miller’s two seasons, they improved from a 1-11 record in 2020-21 with five wins in his first season and six in his second. He said that the program is heading in the right direction.
“Obviously, we didn’t mount the wins in the last couple of years, but I think the team has a competitive group that shows all the signs to be able to continue on that trend,” Miller said. “It’ll be fun to keep track of them.”
Miller, who earned three varsity letters in baseball and one in basketball at YHS, was a two-time All-Pac 9 pitcher with the Tornados and received the team’s Cy Young award in his senior season. Some of his favorite memories as Yelm’s head coach include a 16-inning game against River Ridge, beating Gig Harbor and playing two games at Cheney Stadium, the home of the Tacoma Rainiers. He added that he was proud to return to Yelm and be a part of the baseball program 17 years after leaving it as a player.
“The program has a good foundation going forward, and it meant a lot to me to come back and take it on. I just appreciate all those involved, and I wish the next person all the best,” Miller said. “I want to be a part of it if I can. If someone wants to lean on me and ask for advice, I’m here. I’m very grateful for my time and to be able to come back where I got started.”
The 2023-24 Yelm baseball season begins on Friday, March 8 with a home game at 4 p.m. against Lakes.
