During a recent story, we discussed Miller’s basketball team filled with football players. That personnel strategy certainly has its advantages.
And after a 46-41 triumph at King Tuesday night, the Bucs (20-7, 10-1) remain in the thick of the District 30-5A race.
At Miller, coaches encourage all of their athletes, both girls and boys, to play multiple sports.
It’s beginning to pay off.
Many of these players have enjoyed success on the football field. And now, they have carried that athletic talent to the basketball court.
It’s something that college recruiters like to see with athletes showing versatility with more than one sport.
And because of Miller’s small size for a Class 5A school, it helps spread the wealth among all sports.
“Yes, playing two sports is fun,” Miller running back/point guard Marcell Davis said. “I get to help my brothers. The thing I do in football … I just transfer it to basketball. It helps my speed, I work out in the summer, run for football and speed for basketball.”
Defensive back/forward Xavier Callandret said each sport helps the other one.
“It’s a good thing,” Callandret said. “You get conditioning in both sports. You transform one game to another and you get strong in both sports.”
Miller football coach Justen Evans says recruiters note the athletes playing multiple sports.
“The benefits kids get by playing multiple sports is tremendous,” Evans said. “Every college coach that comes in here, they want to know how many sports the kid has played. That’s important when they are recruiting them.
“They don’t want just one kid specializing in just one sport. They want multi-sport stars and we promote that here at Miller. We have been fortunate to have kids who sign on signing day who really did not know until their senior year when they finally figured out what sport they are best at.”
