TAWAS CITY – A road hockey game helped lead Tawas Area senior Zack Miller to a life-changing opportunity. Miller officially cashed in on that opportunity when he signed to join the hockey program at Oakland University.
“The coach came out to one of my games in Anchor Bay and watched me play, I talked to him a little bit after the game and since then we stayed in touch more,” Miller said. “From there it has been going well.”
Miller went for a visit to Oakland back in January, which eventually led to the signing in front of family, friends, coaches and teammates.
“It’s awesome,” Miller, who plans to study finance, said of his signing day. “It’s totally unreal, an unreal feeling. I have to thank all my teammates along the years, they’re the reason I’m here and my parents and the sacrifices they’ve made for me over the years and especially my coaches over the years and sacrifices and belief in me as time went on.”
It’s easy to see why Miller’s talents were coveted at the next level. Just this year alone he scored 33 goals and had 16 assists. He finished with 120 career points.
“Hockey has been a really big part of my life, that’s probably the reason I do a lot of things the way I do it,” he said. “My uncles played hockey when they were younger and my grandparents live on a lake, so I started skating on a pond when I was three years old. Just having the success that I’ve had, I just owe it all to my team.”
Miller plans to keep putting in the work too, as he preps for his time as a college athlete; which is just around the corner.
“I’m going to keep skating on the ice here at Tawas and working out every day and just, whenever I can, get out on the ice,” he said. “I’m just very happy and excited to start my new journey.”