TBIRD Teacher Feature: Coach, PE teacher, father of two beautiful little girls, an all around Thunderbird.. that describes our next Tbird Teacher, Coach Matt Miller. Originally from Carrollton, Missouri, Coach Miller is married to wife Emily, father to Sage and Lily, and they have a beagle named Sadie. He has been told by his family that one of his ancestors offered to buy a trading post in St. Louis in the 1800s. The trading post was where the Arch is now! Coach’s mother and grandmother always had an interest in history and they had a big influence on him becoming a teacher, and specifically a history teacher, which Coach taught for 7 years before moving to the PE department. When asked who influenced his decision to become a teacher, Coach stated, ” My mom and grandma were educators for several years in various roles. My high school athletic director and my high school basketball coach were also influential in me going into teaching and coaching. ” What does he look forward to the most in working with the students at NCHS? This is what Coach had to say, ” In the classroom I really enjoy seeing the enthusiasm of students in the weight room when they achieve their goals and strive for new ones. On the court, I enjoy the process of working with my basketball players everyday and instilling hard work and commitment within them that can translate off the court and in their future lives.” The boys on Coach Miller’s basketball team spend several hours during their season reading to district elementary children. Coach influences these young men to give back to their community in this way. He describes himself with one word, “loyal”. He is loyal to family, friends, and school. In fact, he says “look no further than the sports teams I cheer for: Chiefs, Royals, and Mizzou Tigers. Lots and lots of suffering but makes the victories that much sweeter, won’t find a bandwagon fan here! ” To Coach Miller, Thunderbird Proud means “having a growth mindset and grit.” In his words, ” Don’t say you can’t, push yourself everyday to be better than you were yesterday, and do whatever it takes to be resilient and get the job done.” Something most people might not know about Coach is that he has coached with 5 athletic programs here at NC: boys and girls basketball, football, baseball, and Cross Country. He also has a state championship ring from when he was an assistant baseball coach with the Santa Fe Chiefs. Basketball season has started. Be sure to come out and watch Coach Miller coach the Thunderbirds! NCHS is fortunate to have a dedicated teacher and coach! #ThunderbirdProud