Like many youngsters, Ian Miller played a wide variety of sports.
“I started off between the ages of 5-9 being a gymnast and playing soccer,” he said. “I then dropped both of those sports and started playing football until I was introduced to lacrosse in the sixth grade.”
That’s when everything changed for Miller, who is now a junior attackman at the Blue Ridge School in Charlottesville, Va.
“I instantly fell in love with the sport,” he said. “Every single year since, I have played lacrosse year-round.”
Soon, Miller will be playing at the Division I collegiate level.
Miller has given a verbal commitment to Bellarmine University, a decision first reported by Joe Lombardi on LaxLessons.com’s Lacrosse Insider premium coverage section.
The 5-foot-6, 140-pound righty has good quickness and field vision. You can watch his highlight reel here.
Now, here’s a Q&A with Ian on his commitment.
What were the main factors in your decision?
I loved everything at Bellarmine. The coaching staff is fantastic and they are headed in the right direction being the young, growing team they are. The team is not made up of only great lacrosse players, but great people off the field.
The surrounding city life is very lively and the campus is absolutely stunning. Bellarmine also offers the major that I was looking for and most other schools didn’t have that, so that was one of the biggest deal breakers.
What other schools were you considering and what schools did you visit?
I considered Gettysburg, Tufts, Dickinson and Dartmouth. I visited Gettysburg and Dickinson.
What are your strengths as a player and how would you describe your style of play?
I would say I am a quick player that sees the field fairly well and I have multiple tools that keep me unpredictable. I also ride as hard as I can because to me that is just as important as scoring a goal.
I am also a team player that knows how to get the best out of people on the team. I have been compared numerous to (Duke University star) Jordan Wolf saying that I have the speed, quickness and skill.
What area of your game do you need to work on?
I need to learn how to communicate better on the field. Most of the time I assume that people are going to be where I want them to be, but that doesn’t happen when I don’t communicate it to them.
What other sports do you now play?
I have also started on varsity in soccer and wrestling.
What travel team do you play on what showcase events did you participate in?
My travel team is the East Cobb Thunder. The biggest showcases I have participated in are the Brine National All- American Showcase and the Blue Chip 225 Camp, where I was an all- star. I have also recently participated in a tryout for the Jake Reed Nike Blue Chip Camp.
Any final thoughts?
I would like to thank my club team East Cobb Thunder and everyone who supported me from there, in particular Mike Rabbit and Frank Daniels.
I want to also thank Dan Kesselring (Atlanta Empire) and Tom Debole (Copperhead Lacrosse) for always believing me and always being there for me.
Also, my trainer Caleb Williams (Peak Performance Weightlifting) for always having me prepared for any practice, game, and showcase. Blue Ridge School has also been very good to me in every aspect.
Two of my biggest fans, my Namie and Dorsie, who have also been very supportive.
And last but not least, my family. My mom has always driven me to become a great student and citizen. My dad has always set me up in the right places to help me thrive. My brothers have always shown me that sometimes I need to be a little less serious and remind me to enjoy the great game of lacrosse.
Have a recruiting commitment to report? Send an email to info@laxlessons.com, contact Joe Lombardi directly at joe@laxlessons.com or send a Tweet to @Joe_Lombardi or @LaxLessons.
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Posted In: Beyond the Northeast, Recruiting Rundown
[…] VA attackman Miller will bring skill, speed to the DI level “I started off between the ages of 5-9 being a gymnast and playing soccer,” he said. “I then dropped both of those sports and started playing football until I was introduced to lacrosse in the sixth grade.” That's when everything changed for Miller … Read more on LaxLessons […]