Hi-Line Athlete Profile: Collin Miller, Havre High tennis

As the calendar turns to spring, sports such as tennis make their return to the Hi-Line. Many Havre High tennis players look forward to the upcoming season, including senior Collin Miller. As he gears up for his final year, Miller just has one goal in mind.

"My goals for this final year is to make it to state with my doubles partner Conner McKay," Miller said.

Miller and McKay came close to qualifying for state last season. Unfortunately, they came short of their goal at divisionals and now plan on using that motivation to make a run at an appearance in the state tournament this year.

"I'd say it gives us bigger motivation because we were pretty close," Miller said. "I think this year, we have it locked down. I think we're in a pretty positive spot as long as we stay focused and keep a steady pace."

An appearance in the state tournament would be a strong note to end Miller's career at Havre High School. He began playing tennis his freshman year after following in the footsteps of his older sister Bailey who also played all four years of high school. Since his freshman year, Miller has become a staple of the HHS tennis program.

"Collin is such a great kid," Havre head coach George Ferguson said. "I've known his family forever. I coached his older sister. So it's been such a joy to coach him. Collin is an exceptional athlete, but these last two years, he's become a really good tennis player, not just an athlete playing tennis. He and Conner (McKay) were so close to getting to state last year, but they definitely were a huge reason we clinched another divisional championship. So I see big things to come from them, and I know Collin is going to have a great senior year."

In his final year at Havre High School, tennis will be the only sport that Miller will play in. Outside of tennis, Miller is interested in music and playing instruments such as the guitar and the piano. He also fishes for fun in his spare time.

Miller and the HHS tennis teams begin the spring season with the Cut Bank Invite this Saturday. Before he gets back on the court, the Havre Daily News got the chance to ask Miller five questions.

HDN: What do you love the most about tennis?

Miller: "I think I love the intensity of it. The feeling of playing, the feeling of hitting the ball in the game is quite intense."

HDN: Do you have a favorite tennis memory?

Miller: "My freshman year of tennis, we went down to Great Falls for the Great Falls Invite and in between matches, we went to go get food and went through the mall court near the tennis courts. We found a shopping cart and we cruised around looking for ice for one of our players who got hurt. I think that was probably my favorite memory."

HDN: What did you learn from your older sister about tennis?

Miller: "I learned a lot about staying calm and learning from your mistakes through the match. When I watched her, she would mess up but she would step back, take a breath and she would correct herself and she'd keep calm in the situation. That's what I liked about her playing style."

HDN: What is the hardest thing about tennis?

Miller: "I would say keeping your cool. Tennis is a very mental game. If your opponent gets in your head, they pretty much have the match because you're already making mistakes."

HDN: How did you build chemistry with your doubles partner McKay?

Miller: "It did help that he and I have been best friends since before we started tennis so when he started playing tennis, I asked (coach) Ferg if he and I could be doubles partners. Also, he and I are both pretty tall and two tall tennis players can be pretty dominant on the court."