Playing three sports, staying busy, rooted in Evan Miller’s DNA
(Fourth of a seven-part series.)
By Michael Quinn — MikeDragoSports.com correspondent
Evan Miller is a leader at Conrad Weiser — and he’s only 16 years old.
Miller organized morning workouts for the football team during the offseason. Instead of having himself and teammates miss afternoon workouts due to spring sports, he approached Conrad Weiser football coach Alan Moyer with the idea of a schedule change.
Moyer told Miller if he got 15 guys to show up at 6:30 a.m. he’d be there to open the door to the weight room. Miller did it.
“He sees what needs to be done and he gets it done,” Moyer said.
Miller being a team-first player is no surprise; he comes from a family of coaches and multi-sport athletes. His father Rich played three sports at Lower Dauphin, including basketball for his father, Rich Sr.
Evan’s brother Josh plays football and basketball at Conrad Weiser; his sister Ellie played soccer, lacrosse, and basketball for the Scouts.
Sports are rooted in the Miller DNA.
“It’s pretty great — great conversation pieces,” the rising junior said.
It can get tense sometimes, especially after games, and Miller is playing in a lot of those. He plays football, baseball, and basketball.
In the fall he lines up at defensive end and tight end. He recorded 58 total tackles and had two sacks in 10 games as a sophomore; he also caught seven passes.
He was a starting forward in basketball and averaged 6.7 points. In the spring he played outfield and batted .340, third-best on the team.
The desire to play so many sports was sparked by the fact that his dad was a three-sport athlete and an all-league kicker and punter at Bucknell.
Rich Miller coached college basketball for two decades, at Mansfield University, Penn State Berks, and Conrad Weiser.
Evan played for his dad the past two seasons at Weiser. Rich says their dynamic on the court was easy since Evan was wired to his dad’s coaching style.
“He knew his role,” Rich said, “to rebound and be a physical presence, defend against other team’s best four- or five-man and add a toughness.”
Miller averaged 6.3 rebounds over 22 games.
Rich constantly reminds Evan there’s another level after high school; he has encouraged his son to pick up his game because to earn a collegiate roster spot Evan won’t be competing against athletes from his own town but against kids from across the country.
“You are competing against kids not only for athletics, but for getting admitted to college and then getting a job after that,” Rich Miller said.
Evan watched his dad’s teams at Penn State Berks. Seeing college athletes up close and behind the scenes enhanced his own game.
“I would see them struggling, which taught me not to give up so easily,” he said.
Rich and his wife Julie have always emphasized the importance of being a supportive teammate.
“The picture on Evan’s phone is of Josh catching his first touchdown pass, and them celebrating together,” Rich said.
Lessons about out-working others and being a great teammate helped Evan evolve into a team leader. He takes those attributes to practice each day.
Miller’s summer schedule is filled with football workouts in the mornings and afternoons and Legion baseball nearly every evening. In the spring, AAU basketball often overlapped with baseball.
He’s busy, but that’s how he likes it.
“I have a lot of energy,” he said. “I don’t really get tired easily. You don’t always make it to things that you need to be at. It’s hard during baseball season to get to football lifting and training; it’s not easy during basketball season to get to baseball things.”
Because of a shoulder injury suffered in football Miller won’t play basketball next season. He plans to wear a brace on his right shoulder throughout football this season, then have surgery in November. That will require 4-6 months of rehab.
Evan plans to join the Weiser bowling team. He’s left-handed, so his rehabbing shoulder won’t be affected.
He’s determined to work hard and rebound from the injury.
“It’ll be tough because I think we’ll have a good (basketball) season,” he said, “but I think I’ll find a way to stay active.”
It’s a setback for an athlete who relishes staying busy but he’ll shift his focus to his other two main sports. He would like to play football in college so that’s his center of attention right now.
“Working on football lifting, doing speed training, it’ll help me in every other sport,” he said. “Getting faster, stronger, getting my vertical up, all that comes with football will help me in baseball and basketball.”
He’s currently training at Parisi Speed School.
Miller likes to challenge himself in the classroom, as well. He takes honors and AP classes. He’s also been elected junior class president. It’s not easy to balance everything he’s got going; his mom helps him stay on top of it.
“(She’s) very important,” he said. “She helps keep me in check.”
He has a full plate but prefers it that way.
“It’s not as hard as people make it seem,” Miller said of juggling all of his school activities. “It helps you stay busy, helps you not get in trouble, helps you stay in check.”
