‘Mad Max’ coaches the South in a doable soccer last

Max Miller appears like a cockroach in all his gloriously cocky glory, and naturally that is meant within the kindest, kindest of the way.

He will not go. You can’t shoot or step on it. Age would not cease the veteran soccer coach who has been on the sphere since 1963. The climate doesn’t scare him. No anti-insect pesticides both.

For so long as you may bear in mind, Miller has been finest identified for his loopy in-game conduct, struggling within the goal-line stands, and standing matted after video games. He received 264 video games over two excursions, largely at Cordova Excessive Faculty, and has been a tireless ambassador for all that’s good in native soccer since his first instructing and training job as a straight-top participant at Cordova in 1963.

Miller will coach the South within the 63rd Optimist All-Star Soccer Traditional at Hughes Stadium on Saturday at 1 p.m. It is a charity sport for the realm’s senior stars, and nobody champions sport and trigger like Miller. This man is in his 80s, however he hasn’t misplaced an oz since his youth.

Will he chew out the judges? So does it snow in Tahoe this time of 12 months? If Miller would not give them some smoke, the refs could be disillusioned, or not less than frightened. A couple of years in the past, one other Previous Sage teaching legend, John Volek, and Miller competed for umpires at halftime of an Optimist sport to voice their considerations as opposing coaches. They laughed about it then and now.

“Max is a basic and nice for this sport,” stated Volek, a one-time Sacramento State coach with extra regional and state Corridor of Famers than he can hold monitor of.

Miller did not go by “Mad Max” due to his beauty. It’s by no means boring. He’s at all times in good spirits. Have your first apply periods with South. A part of it was within the driving rain. An old-school Miller may fortunately order ski drills to dam within the mud. However that is new age soccer and there’s a pitch.

“We did not do a lot within the rain and I did not wish to,” Miller stated. “The rain is making me smaller and I am already too quick.”

The coach added: “We’re having a whole lot of enjoyable. We’re having a very nice time. The children had been nice. They’re very attentive. They’re proficient, clever youngsters. Kids are excited. Shoot, I am excited. Soccer does that to me. I assumed it could be my grand finale in teaching, however the coaches and the children are saying, ‘Go on!'”

Miller’s spouse, Sally, helps his teaching dream so long as he would not take into consideration what he is consuming for breakfast on his common run to the bakery. Miller ought to drink espresso and possibly eat a candy. Miller’s ample waist reveals off, and Sally has caught him with an excessive amount of ice cream on the chin greater than as soon as.

How lengthy has Miller been within the sport: Without end. After graduating from UC Davis by the use of Nevada Union Excessive Faculty, Miller first started teaching, beginning with the 1963 Optimist sport in the summertime, the place the scholars spent per week within the dorms at UCD. The South coach in 1963 was legendary Folsom coach Dewey Guerra, who began the Cordova program from scratch in 1963 and turned it right into a nationwide powerhouse.

Miller additionally coached Optimist video games within the Nineteen Seventies, 80s, 90s, 2000s, the final decade and extra as a head coach or assistant. That is seven many years of not less than one Optimist sport. He has seen all the pieces.

“We had a particular teamer within the 1963 Optimist sport, a operating again named Leon Horne from Grant, and he was quick, darting, and I stated to Dewey, ‘This man’s going to be a operating again!’ – Miller stated. “He ran again 100 yards. This was our first teaching expertise collectively. I simply could not get sufficient of soccer.”

Miller is a operating again as a result of he likes to run to first, second, third and lengthy. He covers two tight appears, a fullback and a operating again, and possibly a receiver. But it surely has developed. A large-open, unfold soccer period may use two receivers on this showcase sport.

“Oh, we’re in fashionable soccer now,” Miller stated with fun. “We will throw the ball, we will run the ball, we will do as a lot as we are able to.”

Including to Miller’s pleasure of teaching, particularly if that is certainly his grand finale, is having his sons — Greg and Kevin — teaching with him on this sport. They by no means tire of their outdated man’s “Maxims” – one-liners or outdated tales to deliver down a room.

Miller was good not just for soccer, however for him. The mark of a terrific coach is how he builds a program and sustains success. Miller’s Nineteen Seventies Rio Americano groups rose from nothing to one thing shortly. His Córdoba golf equipment within the Nineteen Eighties introduced victories to the area. His 1984 Lancers turned the primary crew in Sac-Joaquin Part historical past to go 14-0, thanks largely to Troy Taylor, a tall, lanky, expert quarterback who had coached Sacramento State to championship success in recent times and was getting ready for it. First season as Stanford head coach.

Miller’s Johnson groups of the Nineties had been league champions, and his finest teaching job might have been his second stint at Cordova, the place the once-proud Lancers crumbled however rose once more by Miller’s sheer will and drive. Miller was additionally the form of coach to inventory the classroom fridge with meals for gamers who did not eat at dwelling.

In 2010, Miller was the defensive coordinator for Folsom’s first CIF State Championship crew. He hasn’t coached at a highschool in years, lengthy since retired from instructing, however he is deeply concerned within the Nationwide Soccer Basis, Sacramento Chapter. And Optimist is holding it a lot that Miller is asking Optimist gamers to understand what they’ve. He reminds them that at Shriners Hospital for Kids, youngsters will do something to have what the Optimist gamers have — wholesome legs and limbs to run and play.

“I instructed our gamers to go to the Shriners to see what they play for,” Miller stated. “Soccer could be such a beautiful expertise. On this sport, there are kids who play with the kids he has confronted over time. Now they’re teammates on the identical aspect. I do know that soccer has at all times been enjoyable for me. It improves my blood. It improves my oxygenation.”

On Saturday, gamers play lots

What may assist Miller breathe straightforward is getting the ball to his gamers. It has a tone.

If Miller goes old style and runs lots, the South backs Bee All-Metro Liberty Ranch record-setting Arthur Draeger and Monterey Path speedsters Ali Collier and Jervin Navarro. If the South takes off, and that is doable, Miller has two excellent cross rushers in Sheldon’s Jesiah Machado and Oak Ridge’s Maddox Varrella in All-Metro weapons.

The Bee Participant of the 12 months consists of Sheldon’s Scott Nixon and fellow All-Metro receivers Malachi Bean-Seey of Laguna Creek, Hassan Miller of Monterey Path and Sebastian Sutton of Oak Ridge with one hand or catching passes. each 2022.

Monterey Path to Sacramento State-bound tight finish Fata Puloka can block and deal with like a decent finish, and he blocked tackles and performed fierce protection at quarterback. Puloka first performed soccer as a freshman and was hooked.

“It isn’t rocket science,” he stated. “You play exhausting and have enjoyable.”

Puloka is an instance of a participant who stands as a task mannequin. He has two youthful sisters and strives to be the most effective participant and scholar he could be. He had a 4.0 grade level common in the course of the fall semester.

The South additionally has stoppers led by Bee Defensive Participant of the 12 months Oak Ridge’s Conner Dasmann. One other linebacker is Elk Grove All-Metro linebacker Lati Vaefage and Dixon All-Metro linebacker Brent Inexperienced, who leads the state in 2022 with 12 interceptions. Oak Ridge’s all-metro leg Carson Nichols.

“I do know one factor,” Miller stated. “We may have enjoyable. That is what this sport is all about. We’ll play exhausting and have enjoyable with it.”