Since transferring from Archbishop Moeller after his sophomore year, Williamsburg’s J.J. Miller has been a three-sport star for the Wildcats, excelling in basketball, football, and baseball. His .511 batting average (through April 29 action) ranks third in the SBAAC. Miller recently announced his commitment to Wittenberg University to continue his education as well as his football career. He is your Clermont Sun Athlete of the Week!
Q: Favorite professional baseball player?
A: Ken Griffey Jr.
Q: Favorite food?
A: Steak.
Q: What’s the key to having success in more than one sport like you have?
A: A big part of my success is from my parents supporting me and pushing me to be great from a young age. They expected me to be great, they wanted me to work hard at everything I did in life. This is also from the work I put in on the field but also off the field. That means in the weight room and also in the cage for baseball or throwing footballs with my teammates to get comfortable with them to get that connection. This also means shooting on the machine for basketball. Just doing the little things even, I knew they would make me a better player.
Q: Advice for younger athletes?
A: The best advice I have for younger athletes is to trust the process. If you put in the work and time into the goal you have, you’ll get to it. If you keep that work ethic people will start to notice you and you’ll notice a difference as well. Also if you have a dream or goal then go get it. I’ve had people tell me I couldn’t reach my goals but I used those words as motivation to achieve my goals. Motivation is a huge part of your wanting to finish or achieve something.
Q: What have you done to improve throughout your baseball career?
A: What I have done to improve throughout my career is putting work into the sport, and taking no days off. This means in the cage, on the field, or in the weight room. I have taken training so seriously that it is the most important thing to me in the sports I play because I know it is what is going to make me be great. What I also have done for me to improve my game is just finding ways to play calm and relax because baseball is a sport of failure and that is what makes you great.
Q: What do you and your team need to do to continue to have success this season?
A: Our team needs to play together and keep the season rolling win by win. The bats have come alive and you can tell the work is paying off throughout the season. I feel like in order for our team to keep the success we are having we need to keep working and put in work on our own. Losing the 12 seniors last year and also getting a whole new coaching staff this year was a problem we knew we had to fix. I feel like our players have stepped up for us in big ways, even if that’s keeping the energy up, pinch running, pitching, fielding, or hitting.
Q: Who would you like to thank for helping you get to where you are today?
A: The people who I would like to thank first are my parents because I wouldn’t be where I am today without my dad coaching me from day one, my mom always being there for me and my brother and sister cheering me on. I would like to thank the entire Williamsburg Community for welcoming me and also for the support they have given me in my two years at Williamsburg. I would also like to thank all of my coaches throughout my career who have helped me in football, basketball, and baseball.
Q: Best memory so far as a Williamsburg student-athlete?
A: There are so many memories I have at Williamsburg, a very special one for me was being able to play football again for my dad (since he is the OC for Burg), one more time since he has coached me since youth. Another one is winning the first home playoff game in school football history. I could also say all the records I surpassed, I wouldn’t have been able to do this without my teammates, or the accomplishments I was able to achieve during my two years at Burg.
Q: What makes the Williamsburg community so special in your eyes?
A: Williamsburg is so special to me because of the community, the school staff, and the students. The community, staff, and the students all welcomed me with open arms. It was so easy for me to meet new people which made me fall in love with Williamsburg very fast. People want everyone to do great things and be successful, which is what makes this small town so special to me. The staff for the school is great as they want what is best for the students as well. Even the students are special at Williamsburg and that is because everyone comes together, everyone knows each other and they support one another. I love this town and would have loved to be here for my whole high school career, not just for two years.
Q: When people in the Williamsburg community look back on your senior classes for football, basketball, and baseball, how do you hope they remember you all?
A: I hope that they remember our class as a special one. Everything our senior class has accomplished for every sport, not just these three. In football, we won the first home playoff game in school history and won the league for the first time since 2015. In basketball we made it to districts in Dayton and in baseball we will make a good run in the tournament. Our senior class also has won six league titles just this year.
Q: How excited are you to be continuing your education and football career at Wittenberg?
A: I’m extremely excited and blessed to play at the next level. It’s been a dream of mine ever since I started playing football at the age of five. It’s exciting because my dreams are now becoming a reality. All the hard work I’ve put in on and off the field since I was a little boy, showing my talents at camps, workouts and just doing anything extra I could do to get where I wanted to be and it’s finally here.
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