He’s led USA National Teams, conducted over a hundred camps, won six coach of the year awards, a couple of conference championships, traveled the world and selected Olympians. At the end of July 2002 Jay Miller rolled onto Mississippi State’s campus with the ambition of guiding Bulldogs to heights unknown.
The Reflector: You have earned a bachelors in psychology and sociology, a masters in education and only lack a disertation in counseling psychology. How beneficial is this background in coaching?
Jay Miller: Coaching is all about getting people to work together, to have confidence and accomplish a common goal. The X’s and O’s are just a small part of coaching. Getting everyone on the same page and being committed is the key.
R: So it is having an understanding of how to understand people that helps the most?
JM: Absolutely. I think it’s been a lot more beneficial than if I had a degree in physical education or something like that.
R: After 20 plus years and 737 wins, can you see yourself doing anything but coaching?
JM: I enjoy this. Working with kids, going to practice everyday, teaching the game and trying to help them relate the game to life is what it is all about. You take young kids out of high school and help them grow up. Although their music isn’t the best, it does keep me young. We always tell the kids if you are not enjoying what you are doing, you should do something else.
R: Was it hard to leave Missouri after 15 years?
JM: Well, yeah. I had put down some roots, but this is a great place. My wife is from Jackson, and it is in a way an opportunity to come home. Grandma and grandpa live two hours down the road. So it will make it a lot nicer for our daughter and there is a great opportunity here.
R: What has been the toughest aspect of the transition?
JM: My wife and daughter are still in Missouri. The toughest part has been having them up there while I am down here. They come down regularly and will move down at the end of summer. My daughter is finishing sixth grade and will play ball up there this summer and then she will start school down here in the fall.
R: Can you take me through the selection process for the 1996 Olympic team?
JM: Every year we have a national team. Now we are up to two teams: National and Elite, A and B or first and second, whatever you want to call them. Each year you select players to come to tryout camps and make selections for major international events like the U.S. Cup, Canada Cup and Japan Cup.
R: I hear that you allow your rising seniors to determine where you schedule tournaments the following season. Is that meant as a reward?
JM: Well, we have guidelines. I like to play different tournaments each year so when somebody comes in as a freshman they will get to go to different areas of the country and get to play different teams. We are always looking for great competition, but I like to give our seniors an opportunity to decide where we are going. We will host two tournaments and go on the road for two others.
R: You’ve seen quite a bit of the world. Does your experience with that try to encourage you to expose your players more?
JM: I think so. I have a lot of contacts that are always looking for players. So it gives the team opportunities. If they want to continue pursuing softball overseas, then that is great.
R: I have to ask, what led you from Aurora, Ill., the home of Wayne and Garth, all the way to Grenoble, France?
JM: I went to undergrad at Illinois State and they had a foreign studies program. It was a cheap way to see Europe and ski the Alps.
Miller began the 2003 season at No. 13 among active coaches in wins with a .631 winning percentage, having guided Missouri to the Women’s College World Series twice (1991, 1994) and to the NCAA Regionals three other times (1995, 1997 and 1999).