Sports Spotlight: Sofiah Miller, Windermere Prep girls basketball

Windermere Prep eighth-grader Sofiah Miller has been around the game of basketball her entire life, and her passion for the sport can be seen on the court. In her first year on the Windermere Prep varsity team, Miller led the team in both scoring and rebounding.
 

When did you first get into basketball?

I basically grew up in the gym. Having my mom as my coach — ever since I could walk, pretty much — I’ve always had a basketball in my hand. Around second grade, I was on a little travel team, and we went to a few little tournaments around my small town where I grew up in Tennessee, and I automatically fell in love. From then on, I couldn’t do anything except play basketball.
 

What is it specifically about basketball that you love so much?

I would say being a part of a team — that environment of having other people around you supporting you while you play, it really just makes it feel different. When I make a good pass or a good shot, my teammates are always there to hype me up. … That kind of just makes me love the game even more.
 

Your mom also happens to be your coach at Windermere Prep. What’s that like?

A lot of people think I have the easy way out, but it’s actually the complete opposite. My mom is always there to push me the extra mile. When we’re not doing anything, I’m always in the gym, and she is always there with me. I’m so grateful to have my mom as my coach, because she knows what good things I can do, and when I’m not showing my full potential, she’ll always be there to push me.
 

What was your first varsity season like at Windermere Prep?

Being on varsity, it was something different. It meant something to me to start on varsity and be around the girls, and the girls welcomed me in right away. I knew that once my mom started getting us rolling and trying to get us right where we needed to be that it was going to be a good season, and we were going to make it far like we did. I was very proud of my teammates and how we did that.
 

You led the team in scoring and came close to averaging a double-double (points, rebounds). How did you manage that in just your first  season?

Coming into my first season at Windermere Prep, during my offseason,  I really worked on my ball-handling and my upper-body strength to strive better in the post. And during the season, I really worked hard on my three-point shot. I say all of that together helped me. I joined the weightlifting team at Windermere Prep, and that really helped my rebounding skills … and I feel like averaging the double-double is really like having all of the other activities I was doing help me strive for that goal.