Future plans
Westlake High grad Billy Miller prepares for life after the NFL
By Thomas Gase tgase@theacorn.com

LEAPING GRAB- New Orleans Saints tight end Billy Miller, left, hauls in a pass from quarterback Drew Brees during the NFC Divisional playoffs last year against the Philadelphia Eagles. Philadelphia defensive back Sheldon Brown, right, is converging on Miller, a 1995 graduate of Westlake High.

For eight years Billy Miller has been catching passes for NFL teams. Now the New Orleans Saints tight end is hoping to pass back some of his football knowledge to a younger generation.

Two weeks ago, the 1995 Westlake High graduate opened up his first business, Elite Athletics, in Westlake Village. The business will serve as a training venue to help athletes in numerous sports.

"My goal is to help train athletes in the area and take their ability to the highest level," Miller said. "Anything I can do to help, not just with stuff on the field but off the field as well, with situations in life, I want to give my knowledge."

Elite Athletics features a partial turf field that will soon have a track surrounding it. A weight room is also set up.

Miller first started to dream about his business six years ago, when he sat out the 2001 season after not making the Denver Broncos squad.

"I've been cut five times in my NFL career, so when I didn't play the 2001 season I started to think about life after football for the first time," Miller said. "I knew I loved the game, so I wanted to find a way to help people through football and sports. I took some business classes at USC, so I had an idea of what I was doing."

Although Miller sat out the 2001 campaign, he bounced back in 2002 by making the roster of the expansion Houston Texans. Miller played for the Texans for the next three years and caught the first touchdown in the franchise's history.

"Catching the first touchdown for the Texans was great," Miller said. "We were 17 yards away from scoring, and David Carr threw me a great pass. I remember being almost surprised. I turned around after catching the pass and dove into the end zone. I remember my legs feeling kind of numb. I was so happy to score for my team."

Although the moment ranks high on his list of personal accomplishments, Miller's favorite football memory would not come until he joined the Saints midway through the 2006 season.

After the Saints played in numerous locations during the previous season due to Hurricane Katrina, last year's squad help lift the city's spirits by going 10-6 during the regular season and coming within a game of the Super Bowl before losing to the Chicago Bears in the NFC Championship, 39-14.

"A lot of times while playing football, you try and tune the fans out of your mind," Miller said.

"But, with everything that happened the year before in New Orleans, it was hard to not get mixed up in emotions when you heard the crowd at the Superdome. The playoff game where we beat the Eagles at home was very exciting. The fans were standing at kickoff and never sat down the whole game."

Last February, after the season ended, Miller signed a oneyear contract extension with the Saints. Currently he's in Jackson, Miss., trying to earn a starting position on the team. While at training camp, Miller explained that he only has one goal left in the NFL.

"I want a ring," Miller said. "I don't know how many years I have left, but I would definitely like to win a Super Bowl before I'm done. We came close last year, and I think we have a team good enough to go even farther this season."

This season Miller will once again be catching passes from quarterback Drew Brees, who put up MVP-type numbers last year.

"I can't say enough about Drew Brees," Miller said. "He just does everything right. He is always going to throw you a pass that puts you in position to do something great."

Although Miller is busy helping the Saints fight for a title, the tight end said he still keeps in contact with many people from Westlake.

"The friends I had in high school are still my best friends now," Miller said.

"I've been to a couple Westlake High football games in the last couple of years, and it's always great to see (head coach) Jim Benkert. I owe him a lot because he helped further my career by switching me from a running back to a wide receiver in high school. I have no idea where I would be without him."

Elite Athletics is located at 733 Lakefield Road, Ste. B, in Westlake. The Saints open their season Thurs., Sept. 6 at Indianapolis.