A Bruin From the Start : Miller Had His Heart Set on Playing Soccer at UCLA

UCLA men’s soccer Coach Sigi Schmid says he is always looking for players such as Ty Miller, a redshirt sophomore midfielder and defender.

Miller, a walk-on who has earned a starting position and partial scholarship, played soccer, baseball and football at Santa Monica High. After twice earning Bay League defensive soccer player-of-the-year honors, Miller was given a tryout with the Bruins on the recommendation of Santa Monica Coach Jose Lopez, who played with Schmid at UCLA in the 1970s.

Schmid said Lopez “really believed in (Miller). He said that Ty was definitely a worthwhile project, if you will, and that he will do (the job). I respect (Lopez’s) opinion because he knows what it takes at the collegiate level and what I look for in a player--and he was right about Miller on both counts.”

Although Miller might have eventually been offered a soccer scholarship from another college, he was only interested in UCLA. “My dad (Tom) is a UCLA alumnus, and I knew I wanted to come here for the opportunity to play soccer,” he said.

Opportunity knocked for Miller, but not for a while. He spent his freshman year as a redshirt and worked in practice on refining his skills.

Schmid said that at first, “from a standpoint of technique and skills, Ty was behind (his teammates). Those guys who have been involved in soccer year-round were technically more proficient than he was.”

The UCLA coaching staff worked with Miller, who improved enough so that last year, as a second-year freshman, he played in about half of the regular-season games.

“I was pretty much of a role player,” he said. “I did what was needed.”

Miller’s hard work paid off. He was named the team’s most-improved player and became a starter this year after standout midfielder Chris Henderson, who was a member of the 1990 U.S. World Cup team, left to play for the U.S. national team.

“Ty has a psychological quality that has allowed him to succeed,” Schmid said. “He has a great confidence level and self-image. He is never depressed.

“Although he may be behind in his work, he would tell himself, ‘I’m going to be as good as those guys.’ Others might have said, ‘Those guys are so much better than I am that I’ll never get better.’ ”

Miller acknowledged that he had to work on his game.

“My redshirt year was a tremendous learning experience,” he said. “In practice, I was playing with some of the best players in the country, and it took me a year to improve and understand the game at this level. You have to think and play faster here than in high school and it took me a year to adjust to the college game.”

He said he was lucky to have Lopez as a coach.

“He is a big believer in the work ethic. Above all, he taught me to have the desire to work hard in practice every day to take me to the next level.”

After his redshirt season, Miller finally got his chance last season, although he failed to play in the NCAA playoffs when the Bruins won the national championship.

“My redshirt year was very frustrating at times because of not being able to play,” he said. “But I got to play last year and got a taste of what it was like. It was something that motivated me even more.”

Miller is certain to be motivated when he starts for the Bruins (17-3) against Portland (13-6) in the second round of the NCAA playoffs at 1 p.m. Sunday at the North Soccer Field. UCLA had a bye in the first round; Portland defeated Florida International, 2-1, in overtime.

After two years of varsity play, Miller said, “I understand better how people move and react because I learned to play much faster. I learned to play to my strengths, which include playing simple and solid defense.

“I’m not a dribbler or a tricky player. That’s been a bonus because I’ve been able to stay simple and not get complicated.” He has benefited, he said, by knowing his role.

Lopez is not surprised at Miller’s success. “He is a coach’s dream because whatever you ask him to do, he will try to do it to the best of his physical and mental ability.

“I’m very, very pleased with him. He was UCLA’s most-improved player, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he won the most-improved award back-to-back.”

Starting with Friday’s match against Portland, Miller and his teammates will be looking for a second consecutive NCAA championship.

He thinks the Bruins have a good chance to repeat. “We’re peaking at the right time; we have a nine-game winning streak.”

The Bruins should also benefit from having had the week off.

If UCLA wins another national title, Miller will experience something that Lopez was never able to enjoy no matter how hard he worked as a player. Lopez played for UCLA teams that went to three NCAA finals, but lost each time.