Meet Katie Miller - CYC Founder
Katie at age 9 receiving her first tennis bag in '95. Katie at age 14 at Arther Ashe Kids day in 2000. Katie at age 33 competing at Nationals in 2019.
I was 4 years old when I first hit a tennis ball. I had joined my father for one of his lessons and afterwards he brought me out onto the court and introduced the game to me. On that day I not only fell in love with the game of Tennis, something I would not realize until decades later was born within me.
As far back as I can remember I thrived off moving by body and learning new skills. Whether it was on the tennis court, soccer field or basketball court, you could find me crafting my skills day or night.
At the age of 10 female athletes such as tennis star Lindsay Davenport and soccer phenom Mia Hamm were both dominating their sport and earning Olympic Gold Medals. I had crafted my backhand to look like Davenport's and was working to develop the speed and agility Mia had in my soccer skills.
Sports were my life.
I wasn't that great at school. I struggled with anxiety on tests and no matter how much I studied, I came up short. But on a sports field/ court... that is where I shined. My hard work and athletic skills were able to be seen by how I moved the ball on a soccer field, or controlled the point on a tennis court.
In 2003 I suffered a neck and shoulder injury in our district semi final soccer game. At the time the motto, "No pain, No gain," was instilled in my mind. After being looked at by the trainer, holding my arm to my body and feeling dizzy I went back on the field and scored the winning goal. I don't remember this due to the concussion I received, but have the newspaper article as a reminder. Nearly two decades later, this injury has greatly impacted my life.
In my Junior year of college I had to put my racquet down and stopped playing due to the pain I was enduring from my injury on the soccer field. I turned my focus onto my studies and earned degrees in Early Childhood Development, Elementary Education, and Special Education. I was inspired to become a teacher at a young age, and always imagined being able to make a difference in the classroom.
After moving to North Carolina in 2012, an opportunity to become a part time Tennis Coach was presented to me and my heart grew 10 sizes that day! I immediately knew being a Coach was my purpose! The following year I left the typical classroom, merged by love of teaching with my love of tennis and made my "classroom" the space between the lines on a tennis court.
CONQUER YOUR COURT was an idea born in 2015 when I became a traveling Coach in the Chapel Hill, Cary, and Raleigh areas providing individual and small group tennis offerings. My passion for spreading the JOYS of tennis with as many communities as possible became the mission of CYC. GROWING THE GAME and providing athletes with coaching that inspired and empowered them to CONQUER their struggles ON and OFF the court.
|
Coach Katie and her youngest brother,
Andrew having fun on the courts. |
Coach Katie earning
Outstanding Contributor to USTA Youth Tennis Programs |
Coach Katie and her father, Brian having fun on the courts.
|
About Conquer Your Court
|
|
The definition of CONQUER is to "overcome or take control of."
I found myself through the game of tennis. I learned through the eps and flows of being an athlete how to endure and fight. The time and dedication I devoted to crafting my skills on the court, led to me developing the confidence, growth mindset and grit to become the leader I am OFF the court.
I developed the motto CONQUER YOUR COURT to help inspire individuals of all ages, abilities, to create JOY and overcome their barriers through fun on the tennis courts.
My passion is to deliver experiences that EXCITE, EMPOWER & ENCOURAGE athletes to CONQUER any struggles they are enduring, while having FUN challenging themselves to learn something new. CYC provides the "Disneyland of Tennis experiences" on the court that impact lives off the court.
Tennis, is known as the "game of life."
With 30+ years playing tennis, and as a former College and National level athlete, I have the skills, knowledge & experience of being an "elite" Tennis Player. With my experience as a Teacher, I have the unique skill sets to break down information in FUN & creative ways. Combining these realms into the role of Coach has been one of my greatest accomplishment.
Too many Tennis programs around the country offer on court instruction that doesn't allow for athletes to progress and learn. This is one of the leading causes to children losing interest and leaving the game.
CYC's Coaching Philosophy has been created by a former TEACHER who understands that growth and development in a specific area, need to be approached with step by step & FUN attainable goals.
"Fill young minds with knowledge, yes. But more important, give those minds a compass so that that knowledge doesn't go to waste." from the movie, Mr. Holland's Opus
CYC's programs will do just that! The experiences that your athletes will have will encourage laughter, excitement and EMPOWER them to take their learning to the next level.
I am grateful for what the game of tennis has taught me and look forward to sharing the JOYS of learning and making a difference on the tennis court with CYC members and communities!
I found myself through the game of tennis. I learned through the eps and flows of being an athlete how to endure and fight. The time and dedication I devoted to crafting my skills on the court, led to me developing the confidence, growth mindset and grit to become the leader I am OFF the court.
I developed the motto CONQUER YOUR COURT to help inspire individuals of all ages, abilities, to create JOY and overcome their barriers through fun on the tennis courts.
My passion is to deliver experiences that EXCITE, EMPOWER & ENCOURAGE athletes to CONQUER any struggles they are enduring, while having FUN challenging themselves to learn something new. CYC provides the "Disneyland of Tennis experiences" on the court that impact lives off the court.
Tennis, is known as the "game of life."
With 30+ years playing tennis, and as a former College and National level athlete, I have the skills, knowledge & experience of being an "elite" Tennis Player. With my experience as a Teacher, I have the unique skill sets to break down information in FUN & creative ways. Combining these realms into the role of Coach has been one of my greatest accomplishment.
Too many Tennis programs around the country offer on court instruction that doesn't allow for athletes to progress and learn. This is one of the leading causes to children losing interest and leaving the game.
CYC's Coaching Philosophy has been created by a former TEACHER who understands that growth and development in a specific area, need to be approached with step by step & FUN attainable goals.
"Fill young minds with knowledge, yes. But more important, give those minds a compass so that that knowledge doesn't go to waste." from the movie, Mr. Holland's Opus
CYC's programs will do just that! The experiences that your athletes will have will encourage laughter, excitement and EMPOWER them to take their learning to the next level.
I am grateful for what the game of tennis has taught me and look forward to sharing the JOYS of learning and making a difference on the tennis court with CYC members and communities!
What People Are Saying
|
"Coach Katie is an absolute pleasure to work with. She taught my 10-year-old son. After only a few sessions, I was able to see a dramatic change in my 10 year old's game. She is able to identify what you’re doing wrong, and give tips on how to fix it. She’s a positive person, and gives great feedback in an encouraging way. She is very good with kids and is an outstanding motivator who understands how to push, but not too far. She has had a very positive impact on my son. She has really been able to create a bond that goes beyond just being a coach. She has the focus, knowledge and skills to motivate you to the next level. She’ll take the extra time to talk you through things and continue to work on specific problem areas at the end of the lesson. Very highly recommended!!" - Pradeep
"Katie, is a leader on and off the Tennis Court! She always encouraged and guided me in my path as a Tennis Coach! She leads from the heart." - Brad P. |
|
"Katie's approach taught my daughter and her friends the skills to develop a confident mindset. My daughter had never played tennis before and wasn't ever into sports before joining Katie and clinics for the Girl Scout group. They played games, had fun hitting tennis balls, learned the basics of the game, but more importantly walked away feeling empowered and excited to go back and challenge themselves to learn more. My daughter's smile became brighter after each time she was on court with her friends and Coach Katie. My husband and I were most impressed with how the skills she learned while having fun on the courts carried over into her school work. Katie's passion will speak for itself!" - DD
|
"Katie Miller is an AMAZING tennis coach. When she first started as a tennis pro at Genesis, she immediately caught my attention. She was engaging with the children, and took a special interest in those who needed additional attention. As a parent of a child with special needs, I am very aware of how my child interacts with other children and adults. Katie brings out the best in those children that need extra attention. Katie also has a unique way of teaching the kids. In her first classes with the children, she encouraged them to put down the racquet. The players needed to understand the basics of footwork and body motions before incorporating the racquet and ball. The players were also taught conditioning as part of their lessons. Strengthening the body was just as important swing path. Sportsmanship was another lesson Katie taught all of her players. She worked directly with the children to be fair and kind to others on the court. Tennis is a life-long sport, sportsmanship and mental attitude are a huge part of the game. Katie worked with both of my children, throughout their progression from beginner to competitive levels. She genuinely cared for my children, it showed in each and every interaction." Alysen
"Coach Katie taught Emma not only technique skills, but also the attitude of facing the opponent. Emma has a little problem with emotional control. Coach Katie taught her how to calm down on the court. She comforted Emma when she was faced with difficulties. We would like to highly recommend Coach Katie to anyone!" - Yihe
|
