Checking in with. ... Rachel Miller (Waterford)
(Editor's note: The Day will be publishing a profile of a spring athlete for each day the high school athletic season is suspended.)
School: Waterford High School
Class: Senior
Sport: Softball
Position: Pitcher
College choice: Southern Connecticut State University (will play softball)
Chosen major: Secondary education-mathematics
Favorite sport besides softball: Volleyball
Athlete you grew up admiring: Tom Brady
Favorite high school class: Coastal navigation with Mr. Ellis
Checking in with Rachel: “The other seniors and I have stayed in touch during this time. Not being able to see each other every day has been difficult but we had the opportunity (May 16) to meet at the field (socially distanced) for pictures with coach (Andy) Walker. It’s nice to still have the team dynamic, especially for the seniors, because it keeps us in good spirits.”
What you need to know about Rachel: Miller helped the Lancers win the CIAC Class M softball title last season and also earned all-state honors from the Connecticut High School Coaches' Association. Waterford outscored its first four tournament opponents by a combined score of 53-2 and then beat Seymour in the final. “People doubted us going into that game because Seymour had beaten us 10-1 earlier in the season (April 4, 2019),” Miller said. “Beating them 6-5 in the championship attested to our hard work over the course of the season. … We played with intensity and I’m proud of how much we grew as a team over the course of the season.” Miller was also a captain and outside hitter for Waterford’s volleyball team and helped the Lancers win the Eastern Connecticut Conference Division I tournament title and reach the Class M final, which they lost in four games to Seymour. “The 2019 volleyball season was also very special,” Miller said. “Leading up to this year I had always been a middle hitter, but I became an outside hitter for my senior season. My teammates and I pushed ourselves every day, which resulted in our program’s first ECC championship title.” Miller works as a camp counselor at Camp D.A.S.H. in Waterford and is also a volunteer softball coach for the town’s Little League program. She was a member of The Day's All-Area teams in softball and volleyball.
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