When the going gets tough during a basketball practice, San Marcos coach Chris Hantgin is glad to have a player like Kaitlynn Miller.
Miller provides encouragement and support to keep her teammates going.
Miller was honored Monday as the recipient of the Phil Womble Ethics in Sports Award at the Santa Barbara Athletic Round Table press luncheon.
“Kaitlyn has been there for (her teammates) as an example,” Hantgin said. “She’s really encouraging to a lot of the newcomers. She has a fantastic attitude and really helps them through it. I can be demanding some times. It’s new to them, and she is sort of that liaison between players and coaches. It really makes that transition smooth.”
Hantgin named Miller a co-captain for this season.
“Without question, she’s been the most responsible, dedicated and reliable player in our program,” the coach said of the junior.
“She’s a great worker,” he added. “She’s far more concerned with growing the program and making sure it will be a special experience for all her teammates. She’s the type of person that wants to leave the program better than what she found it. It’s a caring and mature approach that’s very rare of a person her age.”
Miller has a GPA over 4.0 and volunteers her time with youth sports organizations in the community. She’s worked at Elings Park summer camps, referees at AYSO games and does scorekeeping for youth basketball games.
“Sports is in her blood, she loves being around it,” said Hantgin.
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