St. Pius X Announces Coaching Staff Additions
Oliver, Miller join staff as coaches for football, basketball and baseball; Portell adds boy’s soccer to coaching responsibilities
Festus, MO—St. Pius X High School has announced changes for the coaching staff for the 2019-20 school year.
Dan Oliver will be the new head coach for Lancer football and baseball. Oliver has served most recently as the Athletic Director at Affton High School from 2006 to 2019. He was the head football coach at Affton for 21 seasons, from 1997 to 2019. From 2000-2006 he also served as the head baseball coach for the Cougars. In addition to coaching responsibilities, Oliver will also be a Wellness teacher at St. Pius X.
Oliver takes over both programs following the coaching retirement of Jerry Woods, who helmed SPX football for 13 years and the baseball team for 12 seasons. Woods plans to remain at St. Pius X as a faculty member.
Chris Miller will be the new head coach for Lancer boys basketball. Miller was the boys coach at Grandview from 2013-2018 and has been the head coach at Couch HS, Bell City HS, Southern Reynolds HS and Zalma HS (all in Missouri). Miller is a tenured faculty member at Grandview HS and will teach social studies there in 2019-20.
Miller replaces Eric Lawrence, who has resigned from his teaching and coaching positions at St. Pius X after being selected to be the new Athletic Director at Bayless High School.
Aaron Portell, a Lancer alum and currently the SPX head coach for girls basketball and girls soccer, is moving from assistant boys soccer coach to head coach for the program. He takes over for Steve Smith, who will remain on the St. Pius X staff as a faculty member and girls soccer assistant coach.
“We are excited to add coaches of this caliber to our staff,” St. Pius X Athletic Director Tilden Watson said. “Coach Oliver and Coach Miller both stood out during the interview process as men of high character, vision and energy, and we are confident they will build on the success those programs have seen in recent years. Coach Portell, in addition to being a talented educator, has a track record of success with his programs, and I am looking forward to seeing what he can do with the boy’s soccer team.”
Meet Coach Oliver and Coach Miller: On Thursday, May 23, from 5-6:30 pm on the Lancer Landing next to the football stadium, St. Pius X is hosting a meet and greet and press availability with Coach Oliver and Coach Miller. SPX players and parents, faculty and staff and area media are welcome to attend.
Media inquiries—please contact AD Tilden Watson at twatson@stpius.com or 636-931-7487 ext. 103.
