Miller's team-first attitude makes her a favorite at Westlake

JANN HENDRY/Acorn Newspapers MILLER TIME- Westlake High junior Julie Miller, foreground, takes a penalty shot last week against Moorpark. Miller scored on the play for her second goal of the season. In addition to water polo, Miller also runs cross country and competes on the swim team at WHS. Julie Miller isn't the best player on the Westlake High girls' water polo team, but she may be the most beloved.

When Miller scored her second goal of the season during last Friday's home match against Moorpark, her Warrior teammates went wild, and the patsontheback didn't stop until well after Westlake's (5-10, 3-5 in league) easy win.

It didn't matter much that Miller's penalty-shot goal made little difference in the outcome of the match. The girls were happy to see Miller do well because they respect her as a teammate and, most importantly, as a person, said WHS junior Caitlyn Christensen.

"Julie doesn't start, and she's not one of our top scorers," Christensen said. "For her to score a 5-meter goal- those are so hard, I don't think I could have even done it- I was so proud of her. It was a perfect shot, perfect position. It was great to see."

Miller, who also runs cross country and is a member of the swim team at Westlake, didn't begin playing water polo until her freshman season.

What she lacks in physical skill and experience, Miller more than makes up for in wit and the ability to process information quickly, said Westlake head coach Brian Alexander.

"The thing about Julie is she understands everything- every drill we do, every body position, every aspect of the game," said Alexander, Westlake's first-year head coach who's currently competing with the USA National Team as it prepares for the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.

"The girls look to her as an example, and then they improve on whatever they're working on," the coach said. "Julie is always working hard; she stays after practice and works on her shooting all the time. She's very dedicated."

It's a wonder Miller has any free time at all.

In addition to her busy athletic career, Miller's school schedule includes several tough advanced placement courses. She also sings for the WHS choir.

"Sometimes my parents joke that they never get to see me because I'm never at home and am too busy fitting everything in," Miller said. "But I think it's all worthwhile."

As for learning the game of water polo on the fly, Miller said her short career has had its ups and downs.

She said it can be difficult, at times, to motivate herself to jump into a pool during the dead of winter for practice knowing there's a decent chance she won't be playing in the next game. Still, Miller understands that the team's nonstarters play an important role, too, especially in practice.

"Without all the players who sit in the pool on the sidelines during a game, the team wouldn't work, they couldn't practice the right way," the 16-year-old driver said.

"At practice we do sevenonseven drills, so it's important that we're all there to play as the other team. The starters need that. That's one thing that keeps me motivated, being the other team in practice."

For Alexander, Miller often serves as an extra coach, one with the ability to communicate complex coaching messages into simple terms for the players.

"She has an athletic mind," Alexander said. "Some people have it, and other people only use their talents and their gifts. She understands things a lot faster and at a higher level than her body can respond."

When she eventually moves on to college after next year- she may return to her roots on the East Coast- Miller, a self-professed "math and science person," is realistic about her prospects in the athletic arena.

"I'm not really good enough at my sports to do them in college," she said with a laugh. "I might be pretty good at intramural sports, though."

Whoever Miller ends up playing for, one thing is certain: she'll be a fantastic teammate.

"She's a good team player," Christensen said. "You know how some people are 'the scorers' and others are team players when you need them? Julie is the team player. You have to have those types of players. Everyone can't be a ball hog. That never works."