Dedicated to tennis, junior Warren Miller has come a long way. Being a starter on the Coral Gables High School boys tennis team, his preparations revolve around his training, diet and schedule in order to accomplish every team’s goal: making it to the Lake Nona Championships. Since Miller has competed in countless matches, he trains almost 20 hours a week and plays tournaments in Florida all year round to strengthen his skills.
When he was seven years old, Miller tried many different sports and eventually he felt a deep connection with tennis. At his local park near Palmetto Bay, Miller started practicing with the Coral Reef Tennis Program, where he could pursue tennis at a rigorous level. Alongside all of his teammates, he began to enjoy the electric atmosphere of the court.
Before joining a high school team, Miller has competed as an amateur for several tennis groups. Since his inception into tennis, Miller has practiced with the Royal Palm Tennis Academy and played matches with the Miami Chihuahuas, where he made it to nationals at the United States Tennis Association National Campus.
Throughout his experience at nationals, Miller competed with kids from all over the world. He was able to compare his abilities with some of the most refined amateurs as well as create new memories.
Enrolling at Palmetto High School, Miller played tennis as Panther for a couple of years. Last year, Miller was one of the top seven players that won the state championships for Palmetto. The culture, high aspirations and long hours preparing for matches are some of the memories Miller cherishes about his time as a Panther.
“The [Palmetto] match vs [Coral] Gables in the regional finals was the toughest test for the team last year in the entire run to the title, and I think that’s proof of our program growing and leading the fight to dethrone Palmetto from their decade-long run of representing the region at the National Campus,” junior Warren Miller said.
Currently, Miller plays for the Cavaliers, transferring from Palmetto to Gables this year. His passion for tennis ensues, but his teammates, coaches and the environment that encircles him is slightly different.
“Although the switch from Palmetto to Gables was spontaneous, to me, it was the best decision I’ve ever made. The school’s teachers and spirit have surpassed my expectations and my experience here overall has been supreme to my prior,” junior Miller said.
Perfecting his serving technique and performance in rallies, Gables has helped Miller stay on the right track. His athletic pursuits are supported through and through by the Cavalier tennis team. Miller currently plays the number 3 boys tennis player for Gables.
In a sense, the Biltmore courts have become his second home. Playing their home matches at the Biltmore, Warren has familiarized himself with the terrain he must often compete in.
“I’d say at Gables there’s more in your face, but there are a lot of things that you can do here, which is awesome. I feel like people can find things that they’re interested in…I also feel like it’s very cool because we get a lot of different stories and connections. It’s not like a homogeneous environment,” junior Miller said.
This year and beyond, Miller intends to fortify his play and the confidence of the team. In other words, he strives to bring a winning culture to Gables. This ambitious Cavalier athlete hopes to push his teammates towards a better tennis play and execution when it matters the most.
“I believe if we hit our goals this year we’ll have a whole lot of positive momentum and many things going in our favor and this team can maximize the talent we have to make a deep run next year and fight to make it to the state championships,” junior Miller said.
Switching schools has benefitted Miller in his eyes. The change of scenery and environment have allowed him to see different styles of play and competitors. Coming from a strong feeling to win every time, Miller plans to instill a winning mentality into the Gables tennis program. However, he must not do it alone. Together, the Cavalier tennis team must continue perfecting their work and downing opponents one by one.
