HAMLET — Reggie Miller has spent the last decade as the face of the cross country, indoor and outdoor track programs in some capacity at Richmond Senior High School. But what wasn’t as obvious was a personal ambition he was working on behind the scenes.
Over the last 21 months, Miller has been working toward a lifelong dream of earning a master’s degree. Last week he received official word that he had passed his final thesis course and is now the proud recipient of a Master’s of Science in Coaching and Exercise Science.
Taking online courses through Concordia University Irvine (California), Miller juggled his job at Richmond, coaching three sports year round and his social life to complete the program over six months ahead of schedule.
For his final thesis, he wrote a 102-page paper on the key components of building a successful track and field program, much like the one he has created at Richmond. Miller will graduate with a 3.96 cumulative GPA.
“I turned 50 the week before I found out I passed by thesis and it was the best birthday present,” Miller laughed in a phone interview with ROSports. “Concordia is a great school, and what I liked most were the professors. They worked with me and held me accountable.
“The program was great for me because I’ve learned a lot more about coaching than what I did when I was actually coaching athletes,” he added. “I’ve learned to be patient, to have a vision before making a commitment. The key is needing to see what you want to do first.”
After earning his undergraduate at UNC-Pembroke in sociology in 2010, “the best kept secret in North Carolina” he added of the school, Miller continued working for Richmond County Schools. He’s been with the district the past 15 years, including the last three at Richmond.
In August 2009, Miller took over the cross country program at Richmond, a post he stepped down from this past season. He began coaching outdoor track and field in the spring of 2011 and helped re-introduce the girls’ indoor track program in December 2014.
Since 2013, he’s also served as a USATF official on the weekends, working college track and field meets.
Oftentimes over the last year and a half, Miller would leave practice and meets to go home and work on his assignments late into the night. To speed up his track to graduation, he began doubling up on courses, taking two at a time.
“It was a journey, a work in progress and it was tough, but I got it done and I’m so thankful,” he reflected. “The work was time-consuming but I didn’t procrastinate.”
When asked how he managed to balance such a heavy workload, Miller said the answer was simple.
“The main way I managed everything was through my passion of being a coach,” he explained. “I love working with the kids, and while I was doing this, I was able to fulfill a dream.
“I knew I always wanted to coach and I started with cross country before helping add indoor track,” he continued. “There’s such a big importance with that because it’s the basic training going into the outdoor season.”
Miller added that most of his journey through his master’s program was fueled by “pure motivation to press on and get all three sports to top-notch levels.”
Concordia’s spring commencement was originally scheduled for May 2, but since the coronavirus outbreak, the day of celebration has been pushed back to Aug. 8. If everything returns to the way it was, Miller anticipates going to Irvine for graduation.
As an educator and coach, one hat Miller has taken on is to serve as a role model to his students and athletes. During his courses, he reminded himself they were the reason he was pursuing his graduate degree.
Now more prepared than ever to take on the challenges of continuing to see his indoor and outdoor track and field athletes qualify and compete in the 4A state championships each year, Miller has one final message to encourage his pupils.
“I want them all to know to not ever give up on anything, especially if they’ve got a passion to do something,” Miller said. “It doesn’t necessarily have to be a degree, but I don’t want them to give up on their dreams.
“Lastly, I want them to know they don’t need to put limits on themselves and can do anything they set their minds to,” he closed. “Have a vision, have the passion, drive, motivation and will to do it, and they can.”
