Doug Miller
Encyclopedia
Doug Miller is a U.S. soccer forward
and a youth soccer coach. He spent one season in Major Indoor Soccer League
and nine in the National Professional Soccer League, winning two championships and leading the league in scoring in 1998-1999. Miller also played ten seasons of outdoor soccer in the USISL and A-League. He was the 1996 and 1997 USISL A-League leading scorer and 1997 league MVP. He also won one U.S. Open Cup.
In 2011, he became the first player signed to the new Rochester Lancers
indoor team and was named the first team captain in the club's history.
. He began playing soccer at the Roxbury Recreation Soccer League when he was five, graduating to the Roxbury Travelling Team when he turned eight. He played for his high school team, coming to the attention of Loyola College in Maryland
which offered him a full ride athletic scholarship. Miller spent four seasons (1987-1990) with the Greyhounds, serving as team captain his junior and senior seasons. While he finished his collegiate career in 1990, he did not complete his bachelors degree in communications and public relations until 1993.
of Major Indoor Soccer League
(MISL) selected Miller with the first pick in the MISL draft. However, the team folded before the start of the season and Miller moved to the Baltimore Blast
in October 1991. In the summer of 1992, MISL and the Blast both collapsed and Miller moved to the Harrisburg Heat
of the National Professional Soccer League (NPSL) in September 1992. In March 1994, the Heat traded Miller to the Cleveland Crunch
. He remained with the Crunch through the end of the 1995-1996 season, winning the NPSL championship with them in 1994 and 1996. In 1994, Miller also played outdoors with the New York Fever in the USISL. In 1996, the expansion Rochester Raging Rhinos
of the A-League signed Miller. In their first season, Miller and his teammates went to both the league and U.S. Open Cup finals, losing both. After not scoring in the first twelve games of the season, Miller finished with eighteen goals to lead the league. He finished second in points, but garnered first team All Star recognition. That fall, Miller signed with the Buffalo Blizzard
of the NPSL. He would alternate between the outdoor Rhinos and the indoor Blizzard for the next several years. He led the team in scoring during the 1996-1997 season which led to a four year guaranteed contract with the Blizzard. In 1997, the A-League merged with the USISL to form the USISL A-League. That year, Miller led the league in both goals and points, earning first team All Star and league MVP honors. However, Miller injured his knee at the end of the season which continued to negatively impact him through the 1997-1998 indoor season and into the 1998 outdoor season. By the fall of 1998, he was fully fit and Miller led the NPSL in scoring with 102 goals, earning first team All Star recognition. In 1999, the Rhinos went to the A-League championship, but lost. However, they won the U.S. Open Cup with Miller taking MVP honors. Following the victory, the Rhinos released Miller. He continued to play with the Blizzard until the team folded in 2001. In the summer 2001, he joined the Hershey Wildcats
of the A-League. The Wilcats went to the league championship, but lost to the Rhinos. They promptly folded. In December 2002, Miller rejoined the Rhinos. He played four seasons with the Rhinos before retiring in the fall of 2006. In 2003, he was again a first team All Star as he was second in the league in scoring.
FC.
Striker
Forwards, also known as strikers, are the players on a team in association football who play nearest to the opposing team's goal, and are therefore principally responsible for scoring goals...
and a youth soccer coach. He spent one season in Major Indoor Soccer League
Major Soccer League
The Major Indoor Soccer League, known in its final two seasons as the Major Soccer League, was an indoor soccer league in the USA from 1978 to 1992. After the folding of the North American Soccer League in 1984, the MISL was the Division I soccer league for the United States...
and nine in the National Professional Soccer League, winning two championships and leading the league in scoring in 1998-1999. Miller also played ten seasons of outdoor soccer in the USISL and A-League. He was the 1996 and 1997 USISL A-League leading scorer and 1997 league MVP. He also won one U.S. Open Cup.
In 2011, he became the first player signed to the new Rochester Lancers
Rochester Lancers (2010)
The Rochester Lancers are an indoor soccer team in the Major Indoor Soccer League. The team is named in honor of the Rochester Lancers of the North American Soccer League....
indoor team and was named the first team captain in the club's history.
Youth and college
Miller was born in Succasunna, New Jersey and grew up in Roxbury Township, New JerseyRoxbury Township, New Jersey
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 23,883 people, 8,364 households, and 6,532 families residing in the township. The population density was 1,117.4 people per square mile . There were 8,550 housing units at an average density of 400.0 per square mile...
. He began playing soccer at the Roxbury Recreation Soccer League when he was five, graduating to the Roxbury Travelling Team when he turned eight. He played for his high school team, coming to the attention of Loyola College in Maryland
Loyola College in Maryland
Loyola University Maryland is a Roman Catholic, Jesuit private university in Baltimore, Maryland, United States. Established as Loyola College in Maryland by John Early and eight other members of the Society of Jesus in 1852, it is one of 28 member institutions of the Association of Jesuit Colleges...
which offered him a full ride athletic scholarship. Miller spent four seasons (1987-1990) with the Greyhounds, serving as team captain his junior and senior seasons. While he finished his collegiate career in 1990, he did not complete his bachelors degree in communications and public relations until 1993.
Professional
In 1991, The Kansas City CometsKansas City Comets
The Kansas City Comets were a professional indoor soccer team based for most of its existence in Kansas City, Missouri. They played in the original Major Indoor Soccer League from 1979–1991, when they folded...
of Major Indoor Soccer League
Major Soccer League
The Major Indoor Soccer League, known in its final two seasons as the Major Soccer League, was an indoor soccer league in the USA from 1978 to 1992. After the folding of the North American Soccer League in 1984, the MISL was the Division I soccer league for the United States...
(MISL) selected Miller with the first pick in the MISL draft. However, the team folded before the start of the season and Miller moved to the Baltimore Blast
Baltimore Blast (1980-92)
Baltimore Blast were a longtime member of the Major Indoor Soccer League. From 1978 to 1980, the team was played as Houston Summit but moved prior to the 1980-81 season. The team won the league's championship in 1984. The team folded when the MISL ceased operation in the summer of 1992.-History:The...
in October 1991. In the summer of 1992, MISL and the Blast both collapsed and Miller moved to the Harrisburg Heat
Harrisburg Heat
The Harrisburg Heat was a professional indoor soccer team based in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The team was part of the National Professional Soccer League, which later became the Major Indoor Soccer League, and has been defunct since 2003. The Harrisburg Heat was first formed during the 1991-92...
of the National Professional Soccer League (NPSL) in September 1992. In March 1994, the Heat traded Miller to the Cleveland Crunch
Cleveland Crunch
The Cleveland Crunch was formed in 1989 as an expansion team in the Major Soccer League to replace the Cleveland Force, which had folded on July 22, 1988. Akron businessmen George S. Hoffman and Stuart Lichter formed an ownership group, named Al Miller general manager and former Force star Kai...
. He remained with the Crunch through the end of the 1995-1996 season, winning the NPSL championship with them in 1994 and 1996. In 1994, Miller also played outdoors with the New York Fever in the USISL. In 1996, the expansion Rochester Raging Rhinos
Rochester Raging Rhinos
The Rochester Rhinos are an American professional soccer team based in Rochester, New York, United States. Founded in 1996, the team plays in the National Division of the new USL Professional Division, the third tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, having self-relegated from the USSF D2 Pro League...
of the A-League signed Miller. In their first season, Miller and his teammates went to both the league and U.S. Open Cup finals, losing both. After not scoring in the first twelve games of the season, Miller finished with eighteen goals to lead the league. He finished second in points, but garnered first team All Star recognition. That fall, Miller signed with the Buffalo Blizzard
Buffalo Blizzard
The Buffalo Blizzard was an indoor soccer team based in Buffalo, New York. The team was a member of the now defunct NPSL from 1992 to 2001. From 1992-1996, the team played at Buffalo Memorial Auditorium, and they moved to HSBC Arena in 1996 where they played until 2001.The team was originally...
of the NPSL. He would alternate between the outdoor Rhinos and the indoor Blizzard for the next several years. He led the team in scoring during the 1996-1997 season which led to a four year guaranteed contract with the Blizzard. In 1997, the A-League merged with the USISL to form the USISL A-League. That year, Miller led the league in both goals and points, earning first team All Star and league MVP honors. However, Miller injured his knee at the end of the season which continued to negatively impact him through the 1997-1998 indoor season and into the 1998 outdoor season. By the fall of 1998, he was fully fit and Miller led the NPSL in scoring with 102 goals, earning first team All Star recognition. In 1999, the Rhinos went to the A-League championship, but lost. However, they won the U.S. Open Cup with Miller taking MVP honors. Following the victory, the Rhinos released Miller. He continued to play with the Blizzard until the team folded in 2001. In the summer 2001, he joined the Hershey Wildcats
Hershey Wildcats
Hershey Wildcats were a professional soccer team, based in Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA, that played in the USL A-League between 1997 and 2001. The team was owned by Hershey Entertainment and Resorts Company...
of the A-League. The Wilcats went to the league championship, but lost to the Rhinos. They promptly folded. In December 2002, Miller rejoined the Rhinos. He played four seasons with the Rhinos before retiring in the fall of 2006. In 2003, he was again a first team All Star as he was second in the league in scoring.
Coaching
In 1993, Miller became the Director of Soccer at Team USA Pro-Soccer Camp, a summer youth soccer camp. He also served as the Director of player development for the Greece Buccaneers. Miller currently owns and operates the Doug Miller Rochester Rhinos Academy in Rochester, New York. In 2009, Miller acquired the rights to the women's USL W-League soccer franchise in Rochester NY, starting the Rochester RavensRochester Ravens
The Rochester Ravens are an American women’s soccer team, founded in 2009 . The team is a member of the United Soccer Leagues W-League, the second tier of women’s soccer in the United States and Canada...
FC.