Noblesville baseball coach Justin Keever became the Millers’ all-time winningest coach on April 8. It was Keever’s 379th victory at Noblesville. (Morgan Andrews)
By CRAIG ADKINS
For The Reporter
He’s as humble, modest and real as they come. It’s all about the Noblesville players, program and community.
“I’m humbled and blessed that I have been able to coach great players, at a great place, with great people, for great people, for a long time,” said 22nd-year Noblesville head coach Justin Keever.
On April 8 when the Millers beat Avon 10-0 for Keever’s 379th career win, it was a big deal, but he didn’t treat it like it was.
Keever was aware that he overtook former coach Dennis Kas, but his focus is keeping his team on the right track for the here and now.
“We knew we were taking over a very proud, established and winning program, so not only did we think we could, it was the expectation. The players were eager to be coached and ready to learn. They had the experience of a healthy program under the leadership of Coach Kas,” Keever stated. “Early on, I personally had to progress conceptually from not just coaching a team, but properly running a healthy program. I wanted to make sure we stood for something beyond being good ballplayers. If all they get out of our experience together is to become a better ballplayer, then we have missed a tremendous opportunity.”
He was an assistant coach at Avon before he took over the program in 2005. Right away won sectional and regional championships and did the same in ‘07, as well as a third sectional in 2010.
“We knew we were taking over a very proud, established and winning program that was led by Hall Of Fame Coach Dennis Kas, so not only did we think we could, it was the expectation,” Keever said.
The fourth sectional trophy paved a different trail. That ‘14 team won the Lafayette regional and the north semi-state at Plymouth. On June 20, 2014, Keever won the Class 4A state championship win 2-1 over Terre Haute North, the first baseball state title in Hamilton County history.
During his first 20 seasons, the Millers have won Hoosier Crossroads Conference championships in 2008, 2014, 2016, 2023 and 2024, along with eight seasons of 20-plus wins.
“They’re different challenges. Winning the HCC is about consistency. It’s a 14-game grind against really good programs,” Keever stated. “The tournament is different. It’s a compressed, matchup-driven tournament, heavily influenced by timing. It’s less forgiving and more volatile. That’s just the reality of baseball, especially in a single-elimination format vs outstanding programs.”
A successful team always has great assistants. The Millers have one of the more experienced coaching staffs around.
“All of our coaches commit themselves to bettering the program with extreme ownership in our roles as stewards. They love this place and these kids. They love the program and what it stands for. Our coaches have been in our program for multiple years, none longer than Kevin Fitzgerald, who’s been with me since 2007.”
Keever’s philosophy keeps the program top tier in the state every season.
“Everyone commits to a hierarchy of Program > Team > Individual. We are committed, selfless, and sober to reality, but work to improve every day while putting the team above self. This requires us to constantly embrace servant leadership, gratitude, unity, passion & humility. We have talented players work tirelessly on their skills. Baseball is very important to them. We are trying to use competition in the sport we love to teach us life lessons,” added Keever. “The people from the top down, there is a commitment to excellence in giving our guys a great team experience. I have been blessed to work for some great administrators who have been incredibly supportive, especially our AD, Leah Wooldridge. She does everything in her power to equip our programs to be the best they can be. Our families are tremendous; they allow their kids to be coached and embrace a philosophy that embodies an investment in something bigger than themselves.”
