A good 3-point shooter, an outgoing personality and a classy dresser are some of the traits that belong to this month’s Athlete of the Month.
Kaylah Miller, a junior guard for the Dixie State University women’s basketball team, earned the title of Athlete of the Month because of her basketball talent and personality.
Miller proved her worth for the Red Storm during the team’s exhibition game against Southern Utah University Oct. 30. She made three 3-pointers in the first five minutes of the game to put DSU up by 13. In the end, SUU came back and won the game but not before Miller had scored 20 points and connected on six 3-pointers.
“Kaylah worked her butt off in that game,” said center Taylor Mann, a sophomore elementary education major from Castle Dale. “It is amazing just how good of a 3-point shooter she is.”
Guard Haley Holmstead, a senior communication major from American Fork, agreed with Mann on Miller’s performance.
“She lit it up in Cedar,” Holmstead said. “I don’t think anyone really expected to see her come out and hit so many shots dead-on.”
While her shot has proven to be impressive, she is an all-around great player who understands the game and how to make the most of any situation on the court.
“Kaylah plays her game to make everyone else better,” Holmstead said. “When she gets on a roll, it brings the energy level up, and we all want to play to match what she is doing.”
Miller is a junior this year and has taken the opportunity to be an example to the younger players on the team.
Head coach Catherria Turner asks that each player practice by themself and work on shooting. Turner suggests each woman shoot the ball a total of 500 times each day to help improve accuracy. Miller has taken on this challenge and has encouraged the other team members to take this seriously.
“We don’t really have to shoot the ball 500 times,” said guard Jordan Giles, a senior communication major from Rock Springs, Wyo. “But she does, and that sets the bar really high for the rest of us.”
Miller works hard to balance her basketball life with her school life and social life, and according to her teammates, she is a “genius” when it comes to her school work.
“She is seriously so smart; she helps me with all of my homework,” Holmstead said. “She is really good at writing papers and gives me pointers on how to make them better.”
In the classroom Miller will likely be found sitting in one of the front two rows, participating in whatever way she can.
“She asks a lot of questions to make sure she understands what our professor is trying to teach us,” Giles said. “I pretty much have every class with her, and we sit in the front because she wants to be close.”
School work and basketball are a top priorities for Miller, and when she participates in these activities, her teammates said she likes to dress the part.
Miller is considered to be a little high-maintenance compared to the other players on the team.
“The girl has some serious swag,” Giles said. “She always has to match her socks, shoes and sweatshirt. I am pretty sure she wears a different pair of Nikes every day.”
Miller has bonded with her teammates and has left an impression on them that will last forever.
“She is one of my best friends,” Holmstead said. “She is a great girl that is easy to get along with and who loves the sport of basketball.”
