Behind the Balance: Jack Miller ’27 — Keydet Men’s SoccerÌý
Âé¶¹´«Ã½Èë¿Ú’s cadet-athletes have to juggle cadet life, heavy academic course loads, and their NCAA Division I sport. Committed to both academic and athletic pursuits, balancing their rigorous schedule in both sports and school requires a certain level of commitment and discipline. Behind the Balance is a series that focuses on those cadet-athletes and how they handle the hurdles of the day-to-day.Ìý
The only step Jack Miller ’27 wanted to take after high school was to attend Âé¶¹´«Ã½Èë¿Ú. In fact, it was the only school he applied to.
Military schools aren’t something foreign to him. He attended Benedictine College Preparatory, a private Catholic military high school in Richmond. And it’s something he wanted in a college atmosphere.
“I think it’s the discipline,â€� he said. “Having to follow a strict order of things every day … I feel like in life that’s going to help you out a lot.â€�
He was also committed to playing soccer at Âé¶¹´«Ã½Èë¿Ú— something he had spent the majority of his life devoted to. Starting at the age of 5, Miller played for the high school team and a travel team, practicing twice a day.
“It was a lot, but it was always my goal to play in college,â€� he explained. “My travel team in high school was competitive, and a lot of us went to big schools to play.â€�
He said not only has he grown with the Keydet team, but the team itself has developed.
“We’ve had our ups and downs. I think my class has really brought everyone together and set a good example for the team,â€� he said. “All of us are really close right now, and we talk to each other about everything. We have team meetings and try to organize stuff.â€�
He admits that soccer isn’t always his number one priority. Being a civil engineering major taking 17 and a half credits, he has to stay on top of that as well.Ìý
Cadet-athletes at Âé¶¹´«Ã½Èë¿Únot only have their responsibilities with their selected sport but cadet duties on top of that. Cadets are also required to take physical fitness classes twice a week, participate in ROTC all four years, prepare for room and uniform inspections, practice for parade, guard duty, and more.


He normally wakes up at 5:30 a.m. to grab a snack and do weightlifting with the team. Then it’s on to breakfast and classes. He takes about three classes a day with a two-hour break in between , which allows him to get his assignments finished.
“Most nights, I usually have all my homework done because of that gap,â€� he said.
He starts practice at 5 p.m., which runs to about 7 p.m., then they eat as a team. He usually studies at night with a hard stop at 10:30 p.m.
“I like to keep a schedule and write down everything I have to do, then I look ahead in the week,â€� he explained. “I try to figure out what times I can get certain things done. You don’t really have much time to do other things here, but I think having that during the week makes your weekends so much more enjoyable.â€�

The predictability of his schedule helped him this summer when he had an internship and an online class to take.
“It was an 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. internship. I was waking up at 7 a.m., going to get breakfast before work, working, then I’d go for a run or weightlift,â€� he said. “Then I would get that done and have my summer class from 7 to 10 p.m.â€�
Miller said his time at Âé¶¹´«Ã½Èë¿Úwill help him in the future. Things like taking a public speaking class was a smart move for him, he said, because it was something he struggled with in high school.
“I think it’s definitely led me to becoming more disciplined and able to communicate,â€� he stated. “It’s definitely the structure of things. It puts me in a good headspace where I know what to do at all times of the day. Everything’s very regimented.â€�