Get to know Langley HS cheerleading coach Jessica Miller
MCLEAN, Va. — Jessica Miller, also known as Coach Miller, is the head coach of Varsity cheerleading at our very own Langley High School. In addition to being named Coach, Miller was also recently named District Coach of the year and Region Coach of the Year. One of her athletes, Morgan Kim, earned Cheerleader of the Year. But at the end of the day, Miller is not only a coach, she is also a teacher — of third graders.
Miller is a community leader, exemplifies in her coaching and teaching. She has former students from Chesterbrook Elementary who currently cheer at McLean High School. She said that McLean and Langley cheer teams share “amazing sportsmanship” and camaraderie, possibly due to Miller herself being the bridge between the two programs.
But coaching and teaching is not all fun and glory. The days can be draining. She is motivated by her love for the athletes and the sport — which extends back to her days cheering as a 2nd grader.
As a child, Miller competed on an All-Star team that placed top 10 at the Cheerleading Worlds. She was captain on multiple squads, and was awarded one of the top 10 scholarships from that national tournament. But her career did not end as a child. Miller went on to cheer at Penn State University for all four years, which involved cheering at football, basketball, volleyball, and hockey — just to name a few.
Transitioning from teaching eight-year-olds to coaching teenagers may sound exhausting, but Miller used a different word to describe it: “fun.”
“I have formed such a strong bond with the athletes that I can’t imagine not being a part of their lives,” Miller said.
And even with all that goes into coaching cheerleading, some people still claim that it does not qualify as a sport. To that, Miller suggests attending a practice. Doing so would prove that “ the endurance and strength that these athletes need to possess for competitive cheerleading is that (if not more) of any other sport,” Miller said.
Due to her occupations, Miller has a lot of influence on students. As they head towards college and eventual adulthood, Miller hopes to instill a sense of: teamwork, determination, and motivation within my athletes.”
“Teamwork is an integral skill to have in life and I feel that cheerleading teaches amazing team working skills. I also hope they know that they can continue to come to me for anything they might need,” Miller said.
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