Miller Steps Down At Cumberland Co, Takes Job At Windermere Prep
Radhika Miller has announced that she has taken the open head coaching position at Windermere Prepatory School in Windermere, Florida after nine years at Cumberland County.
Miller says her journey to Windermere started a couple years ago when she took a team down to Florida for a tournament.
“It definitely began with my time at Cumberland County,” Miller said. “Five years ago, I took a fantastic group of young ladies to Windermere Prep to play in the Rock Holiday Classic…We had a fantastic team that year and we came down and actually won the Classic. From that experience, I began to develop relationships and meet people, I have tremendous respect for those people. ”
Miller took an admittedly younger team down to Windermere again this past year, and she says that seeing the familiar faces she met five years ago really peaked her interest.
“We came back home and couple months later, I reached out and the head coaching job was available,” Miller said. “It just seemed like the right fit at the right time.”
Faith played a major role in her decision, according to Miller.
“I believe that the Lord takes you down paths for many reasons in life,” Miller said. “You meet a lot of people and make plenty of connections, and in his time, opportunities open and this was definitely all in his time.”
While she’s excited for what the future holds in Florida, Miller is also quick to point out that she’s appreciative of the area that raised her to be who she is.
“Our roots are in Cumberland County and Clarkrange,” Miller said. “Our roots began in this area, and we’ve been putting down a foundation in that area for 10, 15 years with a church family, as well as other family there. I’m excited for the opportunity, it’s a blessing, but it’s also hard to leave a community that has been so supportive.”
When asked what the main lessons she’ll take with her to Florida, Miller says there’s two that really stick out to her.
“Your family grows up, and this decision to go to Windermere was more about my own family,” Miller said. “My son will be attending college in the area and my daughter will be playing for me…as far as basketball, I would always say its easy to come in as a young coach and say ‘this is what we’re going to do,’ and it’s great to have a philosophy, but I also know you have to adapt to the skill and talent level you have. You have to be willing to adapt to that.”
In nine seasons, Miller won 197 games, six district championships and made five sub-state appearances. While all of that success is great to her, she says she’ll always be most proud of the relationships she built.
“I’m really proud of my niece, Gracie Dishman, for being named the 2018 Tennessee Class AA Ms. Basketball,” Miller said. “In addition to that, when my players come back and I go to their wedding, those are the relationships I’ve had the pleasure of building over the last nine years. That makes me the most proud as a coach.”
