Are you afraid of heights? Jim Miller isn’t when he throws himself off ski jumps and soars 60 feet above the ground!
Now a humble special education teacher at Kelly Walsh, Miller reminisces about his early memories, which include ski jumping at night with his siblings by the light of kerosene-soaked logs. He remembers being a two-time Olympian (‘68 Grenoble and ‘72 Sapporo). And soon he’ll be looking back on the day he was inducted into the State of Maine Ski Hall of Fame.
“I feel really honored,” Miller said.
He should. Having skied since he was 5, he’s come a long way.
In the New England Junior arena, Miller was a two-time champion. He competed in three National Junior Championships, winning a national individual crown in 1966, and was named the top U.S. junior that year as well. He was named to the U.S. Combined Team prior to beginning his collegiate career at Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colo.
Collegiately, Miller was named a two-time Combined All-American. Prior to the 1972 Olympic Games, he was featured in Sports Illustrtated as the “best bet to be the first American to medal in Nordic competition.” Unfortunately, a bout with the flu kept this from happening.
But Miller moved on and retired after being named to the 1974 World Championship Team. He wanted to devote his time and energy to his family.
How did this two-time Olympian and Hall of Famer come to Casper?
Miller moved from Maine to attend college in Durango, Colo., pursuing an education degree. After his marriage, he began working for his father-in-law, who started an oil company in Gillette. For 15 years he worked in the oil field until it bottomed out.
“Then I decided I should use this education degree,” Miller said with a smile.
Miller then got a job teaching special education at Roosevelt for 19 years, and has enjoyed Kelly Walsh for the last three years.
In addition to teaching special education, Miller also coaches cross-country at KW and co-coaches Nordic skiing for both NC and KW. He also was one of the coaches with the Intermountain Northern Junior Olympic Team and in 2004 he co-organized and developed the New High Plains Junior National Nordic Ski Division. Miller has led the Casper program to seven state titles, including 75 All-State skiers. He also was named Special Sports Coach of the Year by the Wyoming Coach’s Association.
Miller is being inducted into the Maine Ski Hall of Fame on Oct. 26 because of his Nordic-combined feats, which include cross-country, jumping and alpine.
“I don’t know what to say,” Miller said. “For me, it’s nice that I can return the knowledge I have back to my kids.”
His “kids” sure appreciate the returning of his knowledge.
JJ Cordonier, now a freshman as Casper College, was coached by Miller from 2003 through 2006.
“He’s a stud,” Cordonier said. “He knows what he’s talking about. We followed him around like little ducklings, and the coaches around the state even looked up to him. In Casper, he’s the head-honcho.”
Cordonier went on to say that not only was Miller a trustworthy coach, he also was fun and had good teaching techniques that involved lots of laughter and comedy.
“But he could also get down to business,” said Cordonier.
He said Miller had them practice every day once the season began, which he said is usually around Thanksgiving.
“He’d send us out on ski runs,” Cordonier began. “Sometimes it’d be hard and we’d get tired so we’d try to take a shortcut. We figured he’d never know. But somehow, he was always there! He could navigate through those woods like no other. Then he yelled at us and told us to get back on the trail.”
Miller’s colleages also speak praises about him.
Bob Matson, PE teacher and Nordic ski coach at NC, and Pat Miller, Jim’s brother, wrote in a letter that Miller “makes all better not because he has been a champion, but because he continues to strive to be.”
And in a fellow Hall of Famer’s letter, John Bower concludes: “Not only did he give a great deal of himself as an athlete, but he continues to give much back to his sport by keeping it going in Wyoming.”
Thank you for coming to Wyoming, Jim Miller!
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