Ahead of the 2025 season, Ben Miller joined the golf team season as a new player with incredible potential. Before the 2024 golf season started, Miller tried out for the team as a freshman but didn’t make it. However, he used that disappointment as motivation, training hard in the offseason and earning a spot his sophomore year in 2025. During the first match of the season on April 16th, Miller started at the 4th spot on the team vs Westfield at Prairie View Golf Club, home of the IHSAA State Finals.
Following his start at Prairie View Golf Course against Westfield, I conducted an interview with sophomore Ben Miller on his journey from being cut freshman year to starting at the 4th spot on the team his sophomore year. When asked about how he felt after being cut his freshman year, Miller responded, “I felt a bit crushed and very disappointed that I couldn’t make the cut last year.” Miller continued, “But I knew I had it in me and I believed in my game in my ability to improve. I turned the rejection into fuel that helped me get to where I am now.” Miller was determined all offseason to come back fighting for a spot on the team to prove his skill to the team and his opponents.
After being cut in 2024, Miller didn’t want to erase his tryout performance from memory. He wanted to work harder than ever after he was cut. He has done more than the average golfer all offseason. When asked about how the not making the final 2024 roster influenced his offseason training, Miller replied, “It made me work harder than ever, hitting golf balls and practicing short game almost every day over the offseason.” Miller said, “I wanted to prove to myself that I deserve to be a part of that team.”
Miller was determined from day one; however, he is human. With every big event in a golfer’s life, there should also be some nerves. When asked about how he felt going into the 2025 tryouts, Miller said, “I felt very nervous.” Miller followed up with, “I should have since I enjoyed playing golf and desired to play on the team. It was also something that I had failed at before and I had trouble keeping my mind off what I did last time. Even though I was nervous out of my mind, I trusted my game and started to settle down.” The butterflies in Miller’s stomach showed that he cares and that he deserves to be on the team. Coach David Young recognized the personality and passion Miller brought to the game and the team.
After making the team and completing his goal, Miller had to set new ones for the season. When asked about his goals for the rest of the season, Miller replied, “I want to play consistently on a varsity spot. I want to improve my overall consistency and short game as much as possible, and I want to develop a very strong mental game and be able to overcome any mistakes I make during a round.” Miller is very confident and bold heading into his first year on the team.
Now that Miller is on the team, he feels a sense of relief. The goal he has worked on achieving for years has finally come to fruition. When asked about how it feels to make the jump to 4th on the team after being cut a year prior, Miller responded, “It feels amazing. I am finally seeing the results of my hard offseason work, training, and game development with Coach Mike Zedrick. I feel honored to be playing as the 4 and I just want to continue to improve as a golfer and person.”
After proving himself all offseason after being cut freshman year, Ben Miller starts out the season at the 4th spot on the team’s roster. Miller intends to start the season high — and finish even higher.