Joe Miller has coached in Lauderdale County since 1990, but his coaching days are almost over. In March, Miller announced that he would retire following the 2023-2024 season. The veteran coach led the Lamar girls basketball team to a final home victory on Thursday when his Raiders defeated the Meridian Flyers 55-11.

“It was a fairly easy game,” Miller said. “I kind of like that in a way because I got to play everybody and everybody got in, and everybody’s happy. There are some great kids I’ve coached here. I didn’t have the record that I had at Southeast, but the kids played really hard for me and showed a lot of respect, and I love those kids.”

Miller, a former three-sport athlete at Northeast Lauderdale High School, retired from coaching in 2014 after winning four state championships and posting a 612-192 record with Southeast Lauderdale’s girls basketball team. He said he initially left coaching before he was ready so that he could see his grandson play for West Lauderdale, but decided to return to coaching when he was offered the Lamar job in 2019.

“He was hired prior to me getting here, but he’s been a blessing to me,” Lamar athletic director Matt Boone said. “I’ve probably learned more from him than I have from anybody in the last three years. … He’s passionate about the game, he loves his kids, he’s an excellent coach and we’re going to miss him”

Miller said he hopes he was a positive impact on his players, and he still keeps in touch with many of his former players. Now, he will have to keep in touch from Florida, where he plans on moving following the Midsouth Association of Independent Schools postseason.

Aryah Grace, a junior starter for Lamar in her third season playing for Miller, said she would emulate Miller’s coaching style if she was a coach. She credited him with making her a better leader and a more composed player in critical moments.

“I learned a lot from him, honestly,” Grace said. “He’s a great mentor. If I had bad games, he helped me keep my head up. I’m sad he’s leaving me because I’ve gotten so close with him over my years in high school, and I just think he’s a great coach.”

The Raiders will have to do without the fiery energy that Miller could often be found expressing during tough games, but Grace said she is excited for assistant coach Matthew Whiting to lead the team in her final high school season because Whiting brings plenty of energy.

“He’s definitely going to be tougher in certain areas, but I’m really excited because he’s young, and to have a young coach, he’s just going to bring, like I said, a lot of energy to the team,” Grace said. “I’m actually very excited to have coach Whiting as my head coach next year.”

Miller said Whiting is an organized coach who works hard and is well-liked by his athletes, adding that Whiting was successful in recruiting athletes to the team this season.

“I feel good about coach Whiting,” Boone said. “I think he’s got a bright future. It was important, I felt, for him to get a year with Joe. Anytime you can learn under somebody like Joe Miller, I think that’s great, and I think we’re in good hands for a long time.”