FOUR QUESTIONS…A CONVERSATION WITH ANGIE MILLER

Angie Miller is the director of athletic activities for the Nash-Rocky Mount schools and is serving a term as a member of the Board of Directors of the North Carolina High School Athletic Association.  She has been active in a number of different ways in high school athletics statewide, including the North Carolina Athletic Directors Association, where she has served on the Board of Directors of the NCADA and is a former president of the organization.

Angie earned National Board Certification as a physical education teacher and coached for many years before moving into administration.

 

You are a system athletic director, so you are directly involved with working with a number of high schools. What are the biggest challenges you believe high school athletic programs face today?

Funding has become a major issue in all aspects of education today.  Athletically we have to keep middle and high school teams competitive. To do this we have to have safe gear, equipment, and uniforms; paid, trained officials; safe facilities; transportation. I could go on and on. And we have to keep game prices reasonable for the fans but pay expenses, and each year they rise more and more.

A qualified coach is another obstacle for athletic administration today. We want educated, highly capable coaches, yet we have minimal resources to pay them. They have huge job requirements as well as responsibilities teaching, family commitments, and other personal obligations. We are blessed in this profession when we find personnel who do their jobs because of their love of the game and of student athletes.

 

What is your best memory of high school athletics personally, from your own involvement in them?

When I was in high school my major focus each day revolved around sports. I knew that in order to play these sports, I had to keep my grades up and stay out of trouble. The fact that every afternoon I had a practice or game kept me focused and motivated to get through the day. I also had a very strong basketball coach that did not allow ANY mischief at all. That meant a curfew on weeknights and weekends, no parties, no friends that would get athletes in trouble. This made us all stick together and he had all the support from the parents (that is also an obstacle these days).  I truly would have done anything he asked me to do and I trusted him with all my heart.

The parents and athletes felt that since he led by example they would support his requests, so that made for a very good high school experience for me as well as my parents.  My best memories revolve around my high school basketball teams and being awarded the athletic sportsmanship award as a senior for my whole school. When I graduated I knew immediately that I wanted to teach and coach because that was my whole life. To be able to give back a little of what I had learned was what I felt I had to do. So as a result I have made a career out of “playing ball” and it is my love, my hobby, and a big part of my life.

 

How would you describe your experiences as a member of the Board of Directors of the North Carolina High School Athletic Association?

This has been a privilege and an honor for me. I have found a new respect for the job that the NCHSAA has on a daily basis. I also have found the true importance of having an administration at the individual member schools that have an athletic background which is key to the success of the educational experiences of all the students and the community that surrounds it.

The Board works so hard to be fair to all students in all sports. They spend countless hours meeting and taking phone calls to provide the best policies and procedures to support athletics but to also keep them safe and successful.

In your limited spare time, what are some of the activities you are involved in away from athletics?

Honestly, I love sports so it has been a privilege to work in a field that is also my hobby. I enjoy anything that involves spending time outside with my family, especially if it involves water, sun, and a boat. The most relaxing and enjoyable moments for me are in the sun and water just enjoying the smiles and laughs from my children.

 

In your limited spare time, what are some of the activities you are involved in away from athletics?

Honestly, I love sports so it has been a privilege to work in a field that is also my hobby. I enjoy anything that involves spending time outside with my family, especially if it involves water, sun, and a boat. The most relaxing and enjoyable moments for me are in the sun and water just enjoying the smiles and laughs from my children.