Miller's Woods 9701 W. 137th Street, Overland Park 913-685-6030
The beer flows freely. The competition is intense. A rainout is more scarce than a softball shutout, and the location is isolated yet right off the beaten path. For nearly 20 years, Miller's Woods has been the standard for softball complexes in the metro area. Sound planning plays a key role in Miller's Woods' success, says Blue Valley Recreation Commission Facilities Superintendent Jim Hook. "(Back in 1981) there was a real need for facilities. A lot of the public fields were taken, and there weren't a lot of spots for kids," explains Hook. "We wanted to build the ultimate softball complex for adults and leave the rest of the fields for the kids." The result is a 14-field complex hugging a creek, nestled in a patch of timber. It's been so successful that every inch of space there has been used up. The recreation commission is looking for other sites to attempt to duplicate what already exists at Miller's Woods.
