Tribune photo by John Byrne - Spanish Springs senior standout Adam Miller is set to graduate tonight. The talented multi-sport athlete earned High Desert League all-league honors in basketball and baseball. He was named the Sparks Tribune’s male athlete of the year.
“On a team, especially this year, I think he’s helped both programs he’s been a part of,” Spanish Springs Athletic Director Art Anderson said. “In this last year, he’s helped take our baseball team to the playoffs as a captain and our basketball team to the regional semifinals for the first time in school history.”
While balancing school and athletics, Miller has kept a watchful eye on his school work, graduating with a 4.125 grade-point-average, which is an above ‘A’ average, as he has taken honors classes.
“I put in a lot of hard work. You’ve got to find a happy medium between the two. There’s a time for practice and friends and a time for school,” Miller said. “Thankfully my mom helped me with balancing time.”
Not only a stellar student, Miller played varsity basketball and baseball for the last three seasons at Spanish Springs High School. His hard work and dedication has paid off, according to Miller and those around him.
“He’s just a hard worker,” Spanish Springs baseball coach Mike Bosco said. “You see him in the classroom, he works hard. It shows in his GPA. With his outside extra-curricular stuff, he’s made all-league for both sports which shows he’s a good athlete as well. It’s nice to know there are kids out there that work both in and out of the classroom and get rewarded for it.”
Miller earned second-team High Desert League honors this season in baseball as the starting catcher for the Cougars.
“He plays multiple sports … In today’s society, sometimes parents want their kids to focus on one sport,” Bosco said. “When you can excel at two, it says a lot about his athletic ability. He maintained a great GPA as well. He’s a very good student-athlete.”
Miller said during his career at Spanish Springs, baseball was his favorite sport because he feels he’s better at it. But he enjoys basketball saying it’s more fun to play because of the excitement.
As a three-year participant with varsity basketball, the 18- year-old earned first-team High Desert League honors.
“In basketball, he made first team all-league and he’s not even a main scorer,” Anderson said. “It shows the kind of dedication he brings to a team and his belief in a team, just understanding that any contribution he makes is better for the team.
“I see his hard work and dedication. He’s not a real a vocal leader. He’s more of a take care of business on the court or on the field kind of leader.”
With dedication to his athletics and such a high GPA, he has earned many awards but there is one award that has meant the most to him. Spanish Springs High School has its own male and female athlete-of-the-year award that it hands out to its top students. Miller received that award last week for the Cougars.
“It deals with all the athletes in my school,” Miller said. “I was recognized by all my teachers.”
Miller felt a lot of influence from his peers and coaches but was heavily influenced by SSHS basketball coach Kyle Penney.
“I wasn’t sure if I was going to play,” Miller said of his senior year. “He (Penney) sent me some videos and stuff, inspirational stuff. He pushed me to be my best. I thank him 150 percent for everything he’s done for me.”
Penney said he couldn’t let Miller go, because he felt he would be a key part of the puzzle for the Cougars success in basketball this season.
“Adam grew up a lot, especially from his junior to senior year,” Penney said. “He was a little more personal, a little more vested and interested. You could tell it was important. He wanted to win. He was more serious when he came to practice. His overall demeanor, it took care of itself in terms of leadership. He was a harder worker than he’d ever been.”
Miller has earned a partial scholarship to the College of the Siskiyous in northern California and will start school there in August.
“They were just the ones who showed the most interest,” Miller said. “I think I would be the best fit in their program. I can walk right in and start and make a big impact. I just look to go in there and be a leader as a freshman. I want to be one of the impact players on the team. I want to come in and turn the program around.”
Miller will pursue his usual position of catcher in junior college.
“It was awesome,” Miller said on signing to go to school. “I got my dream to go play college baseball. All the work I put in for that really paid off. It just made my dream come true.”
In the meantime, Miller will play summer baseball with the Reno Muckdogs. Miller said basically his entire summer will revolve around baseball, because the team has games nearly every day.
Miller’s Spanish Springs coaches will miss his talent and leadership.
“He’s just been a pleasure to coach,” Bosco said. “He’s one of those kids that works hard for you every day. I’m really excited for him to get to move on. Plus, it allows us to keep tabs on him and see how he’s doing.”
As Miller takes off for college, many at Spanish Springs is sad to see him go, but proud of his accomplishments.
“What he showed me from where he was when he was a junior to where he was at when he was a senior is tremendous,” Penney said. “I’m extremely proud of what he’s done in that time frame. Not athletically speaking, but as a person.”
Thanks Coach!