The Bill Miller Big Fish Tournament is living up to its name by bringing one of the biggest fish in the Legion sea to Kenai this year.

This year’s tournament, which uses wood bats and kicks off with six games in Kenai today, has three Outside teams, including Columbia (Tenn.) American Legion Post 19.

According to a Legion press release, Columbia won the Legion World Series in 2007 and just missed out on a berth the last two seasons.

Like many an Alaskan, Riley Heinzer and Josh Miller dropped it all in a minute’s notice to beat it north in search of a better opportunity.

Some staked their claim to gold. Others to an oil patch. Heinzer and Miller have staked out regular spots in the lineup for the Peninsula Oilers of the Alaska Baseball League, one of the top summer collegiate circuits in the country.

Because of its cachet, the ABL is able to draw some of the country’s top college players — or at least commitments from the country’s top college players.

Here’s a look at some of the other coaching changes at Kenai Peninsula high schools:

Soldotna High School

In addition to Lucas Petersen taking over for Sohail Marey in the swimming and diving program and Guy Hayes stepping down as co-coach of the softball team, Galen Brantley Jr. is stepping down as athletic director in favor of Matt Johnson.

Brantley Jr., who will continue to teach and coach football at Soldotna, said he stepped down as athletic director because he wants to spend more time with his three children.

That the Kenai Peninsula left an indelible mark on Sohail Marey is no surprise. That part of that indelible mark is a tattoo is a surprise.

The permanent impression the Peninsula left in Marey’s mind is easy to understand.

Marey lived on the Peninsula from 1985 until moving back to Israel at the end of the school year.

In his time here, he taught at Peninsula schools, had four of his children go through Peninsula schools, coached youth swimming starting in 1987 and even served as a firefighter and emergency medical technician when he first came to the Peninsula.