Culture change is the biggest expectation ahead of the start of the Charleston High School baseball team season, according to new head coach Jim Miller. 

The Trojans are coming off a 2025 season where they finished 9-21 and 1-9 in the Apollo conference. It marked the first time in the program’s history that the Trojan’s recorded back-to-back years with a sub-.500 record.

Miller said the change is creating a system that the team will buy into.  

“It’s changing the way you approach the game practices and real-time games,” he said. 

According to Miller, the change in approach is attitude. He said there were players that, during games, just stood around, as well as personalities not getting along.  

According to Miller, the team will be more positive with each other. 

The overall goal, he said, is to reach .500 or finish with a winning record going into the postseason.  

Another change will be in how the regionals shape due to teams changing classes.  

A recent change has allowed IHSA teams to reclassify every year, meaning long time teams for one class have moved. Two teams highlighted by Miller that dropped from Charleston’s 3A class are Effingham and Salem who went down to 2A.  

Charleston will still play both, but location and ranking will impact the postseason.  

“We could get shifted up north,” Miller said, “It’s kind of hard to predict where that’ll be.” 

Miller said another goal is also to do well in Apollo Conference games. 

“Conference usually is the telling point where you can see things every day,” Miller said. 

Looking at the games ahead, Miller said conference games are the toughest opponents. The Trojans only won a single conference game last year, a 5-4 win over Effingham.  

“All of them are going to be really, really good as always,” Miller said. “It will be a challenge to see how we’ll be.” 

Games will look different in the conference this year. Before, there would be a doubleheader played at one team’s field swapping every year. This year, there will be one game at one field with a game the next day at the other team’s field.  

Personnel wise, Miller said he thinks Chase King, a senior third baseman who missed significant time last year, will be a key player. 

“He’s really battled back,” Miller said. “He really looks good.” 

Miller also said sophomores like Austin Thompson are being called up from the junior varsity team. 

“Being a sophomore and coming into the Apollo can be a real tough job, but they’re adjusting and they’ll work it out,” Miller said. 

Charleston opens its season at home against Altamont on March 17. Last season the Trojans were able to pick up a 9-0 win over the Indians.  

“They’ll be a good Class A team for a challenge and be a good start,” Miller said. “We’ll see where we’re at.” 

The Trojans’ first Apollo Conference game will be on the road against Effingham on April 7, with the return game the next day marking Charleston’s first home conference game.  

Jason Coulombe can be reached at 581-2812 or at [email protected].