Stewart Miller of Newington has been named a national finalist for the 2015 Double Goal Youth Coach of the Year Award presented by the Positive Coaches Alliance.

The Alliance recognizes outstanding coaches in youth sports for making a positive impact both on and off the field.

Miller is one of 75 finalists chosen from a pool of more than 2100 nominated coaches nationwide, representing almost every sport at all levels of youth sports, from elementary through high school.

A member of Temple Sinai in Newington, Stewart has coached the boys 10 – 12-year-old junior division of the West Hartford Youth Basketball League for 26 years, and has held multiple officer positions on the league’s executive board.

Through his business, Opticians Unlimited in downtown Hartford, Stewart continues to sponsor one of the league’s teams. For many years, he organized scrimmages with local school teams and arranged for his team to play at halftime at University of Hartford and Central Connecticut State University basketball games.

Several of the players on Stewart’s team have gone on to play basketball in college and beyond, and some have returned to the area to serve as assistant coaches. Today, Stewart maintains contact with a number of former players and their parents.

After the 2014 season, Stewart stepped down from coaching a team; however, he continues to coach through private lessons, and remains involved with the league’s summer program.

CAP: Stewart Miller coaching his team.