BASEBALL: Keller, Johnson, Hall receive 1st Darren Coffel Memorial Scholarship
Ethan Keller, Jordan Johnson and Cody Hall are the first three recipients of the Darren Coffel Memorial Scholarship for former Southern Illinois Fall League (baseball) players heading to college.
The scholarship, which is for $1,000 per player to help with post-secondary education expenses, is named for the SIFL founder, the late Darren Coffel. Coffel, born and raised in Dowell, was passionate about sports his entire life playing junior college football and baseball before getting into coaching and officiating. He was an IHSA official in multiple sports for more than 25 years.
In 2006, Coffel founded the Southern Illinois Fall League, which is a wooden bat baseball league for high school aged athletes. His passion for starting the fall league came from his love of baseball and wanting to provide additional opportunities to local players in an effort to help them develop their skills for the next level. The SIFL began with five teams, but has now blossomed into a 16-team league.
In 2008, Coffel started the SIFL extended league, which allows upper-class SIFL players to play against junior college programs, collegiate club baseball programs, and competitive traveling teams.
Funds were raised for the scholarship through memorial t-shirt sales, concession sales, SIFL tournament weekend proceeds, and donations throughout the 2014 SIFL season.
Keller is a Du Quoin High School graduate heading to John A. Logan College in Carterville, Ill. Keller was part of the Indians' Super-Sectional baseball team this past spring. Keller actually played in the SIFL for six seasons starting with his seventh grade year because Coffel often turned to him if he was short a player on one of the SIFL teams.
Johnson, a graduate of Sandoval High School, will be attending and playing baseball at Louis & Clark College in Edwardsville, Ill.
Hall, a Harrisburg grad, is moving on to Murray State University in Murray, Ky. after attending Lincoln Trail College in Robinson, Ill.
All three recipients were also players on Coffel's 18U travel team, the SI SunDawgs.
This fall, the SIFL will once again have Darren Coffel Memorial t-shirt sales, in addition to a cash raffle, silent auction, and fish fry to raise funds. The cash raffle tickets will be available beginning the first week of SIFL (August 9). T-shirt sales, the silent auction, and fish fry will all take place on Saturday, September 26 during the SIFL Tournament Weekend at Darren Coffel Memorial Field in Dowell. Anyone wishing to donate to the scholarship fund or the silent auction, can contact Kaila Tyner at kailatyner@gmail.com.