By
Brittany Brownrigg, April 15, 2010
If it were not for one sick player and his brother's lead, Jon Miller would not be the track and field athlete that he is today.
Miller – a sophomore at Franklin – said that a coincidence led him to his passion for sprinting. During his freshman year of high school, Miller was on the track team. One of the sprinters got sick that season so Miller's coach asked him to fill in.
"It was unexpected and (my coach) ... just kind of threw me in it, but after the race I knew I loved track," Miller said.
His older brother, Paul Miller, was also a large influence on his athletic experience. Both Jon and Paul competed in football, basketball and track throughout high school.
"I just wanted to do everything he did," Miller said.
Being a three-sport athlete kept Miller busy throughout the four years he spent at Perry Meridian High School in Indianapolis.
"(Athletics) took up all my time," he said.
In the last season of his high school career, Miller and his teammates qualified for the state track meet where they finished No. 8 in the state. Miller said that his high school athletic career helped prepare him for his collegiate experiences, as well.
Miller, whose main athletic focus in high school was football, originally showed more interest in the Grizzly football team. It helped that a high school friend of his – who eventually decided against attending Franklin – had originally intended to join him on the football team.
Miller said that even without his old friend, the football team helped him feel more at home once school started.
Once at Franklin, he focused on football throughout the fall of his freshman year, a season which ended in an HCAC title. After football season, Miller said he needed something to do throughout the spring athletic season when football was not in season.
“It seemed like (track) … would be good for football,” he said. “It’s helped me stay in shape.”
As his freshman season of track progressed Miller, said he began to find an even deeper love for the sport.
“In high school football was my favorite sport … and now track is my number one sport,” Miller said. “Anyone can run and enjoy it and experience it. I think I’ve been a little bit more successful in track in college than football.”
Miller said that track is very different from football and that he likes different aspects of each sport.
“I like that … (track) is quick and efficient yet enjoyable at the same time,” he said.
Head Coach Paul Sargent said Miller is an athlete who will do whatever is asked of him, while encouraging others to be successful. Sargent also said that Miller’s passion for the sport is clear.
“He can do whatever we need him to do … (and) he has the work ethic to do it all,” Sargent said. “He’s a junkie and as a coach those (players) are the ones that are fun to be around.”
Sargent also said that Miller’s work ethic shows in practice.
“He’s at every indoor and outdoor practice,” Sargent said.
Last season was a successful one for Miller. He finished third in the men’s 200-meter and fourth in the men’s 100-meter in the HCAC.
“I was really happy about getting third and fourth at Conference,” Miller said. “That was the highlight (of last season).”
Miller said that the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology has proven to be a dominant competitor in men’s track and field.
“They are highly anticipated to win … but we still have a mindset of winning the conference,” he said.
Miller’s personal goals include finishing in the top three at conference in both the 200 and the 100 this spring.
Miller said high school and college athletics vary in that the Franklin track team has to put in extra effort to make sure the team is united because in college everyone practices at different times.
“I think it’s harder in college to come together as a team, but I think we’ve done a good job with it,” Miller said.
The track team has team dinners as well as team meetings before competitions in order to help unify the team.
Miller’s passion for the sport goes beyond simply competing. Watching others compete in track and field is another aspect of the sport that Miller enjoys.
“I like to see people at the next level and what they can do compared to me,” he said.
Usain Bolt from Jamaica as well as any of the United States sprinters are Miller’s favorite athletes to watch.
When Miller is not competing, he said he spends a lot of time in the library focusing on being a student. Miller majors in business, but is unsure about what he wants to do after college. He is interested in the banking industry, though, and will be looking into it more.
“I’m still not really sure [what I want to do],” he said.
Miller still has over two years left of college to decide what he would like to do upon graduation and before that time comes a lot of running and competing is on Miller’s schedule.
