At the end of the semester, many of us wonder how we will ever get everything done. Papers pile up, tests creep up and we have to sleep somewhere between it all. For many student athletes, it’s all of that plus daily practices and games and maybe an injury here or there.

Now imagine trying to practice for two different sports and still fit everything else in. Jackie Miller (‘09), a two-sport athlete at Luther, does just that. A junior starting player for both the women’s basketball team and the softball team, Miller has a lot on her plate.

“It gets really hectic in February and March because both sports overlap,” Miller said. “I’m really busy during that time, but it helps me with my studies because I organize my time better.”

As a first-year, Miller decided to play basketball only for fear of over-stressing herself. She played for the women’s basketball team as a point guard and ended up starting every game.

“There were two point guards ahead of me, but one got injured and another was on academic probation, so I kind of just got thrown into it,” Miller said.

Her position on the team has become more than just a point guard over the years. She has played Luther basketball for three years and was a team captain this past season. According to Women’s Basketball Coach Jane Hildebrand, both of these roles mean she has important duties.

“As a captain and point guard, she has to be under control and help keep the team under control,” said Hildebrand. “She has to maintain composure and be guidance for the team.”

Miller’s favorite memory in sports so far was last year’s NCAA women’s basketball tournament, which was held at Luther.

“Playing in front of that huge Luther crowd was amazing,” she said. “That’s a memory that I’ll always have with me.”

After a year without it, Miller missed softball too much to let it go. Last year, she joined the softball team and this year is starting at second base.

It sounds like a lot to work with, but Miller does not mind.

“Both sports are equally important to me, and I really enjoy both,” she said. “That’s what propels me.”

On the court or the field, as well as off of it, Miller exerts a personality that captures many people. Her outgoing personality likely helps her keep up with everything, too.

“Jackie is the same on the court as she is off the court,” said Hildebrand. “She’s energetic and bubbly, always smiling. She’s definitely a people person.”

As far as her work ethic goes, Miller is anything but a procrastinator.

“I do things as far in advance as I can,” she said. She attributes this trait to being a two-sport athlete and being forced to manage her time.

For Miller, the rewards of playing sports far outweigh the stresses.

“There will be weeks that I get stressed out, but there are so many good things that go along with playing sports that it evens out,” she said. “It’s been a really positive experience.”

Even when rescheduled games cause her to miss class, Miller finds no problem keeping up with everything.

“Softball is pretty intensive—we miss a lot of class,” Miller said. “My professors are very understanding, though. It’s really easy to be a student athlete here.”

The coaches know their players are all working hard to keep everything in check.

“Being a student athlete is all about time management,” Hildebrand said. “Academics are important, too, so it’s about finding that balance. We’re excited that Jackie has the opportunity to play both sports and still do well in her academic life.”

Miller appears to have found her balance, and she never seems to sway away from it.

“Jackie amazes me,” said Hildebrand. “She works hard in class, and I know her art classes take a lot of time outside of class. She is a perfectionist in everything she does, and she’s driven so she always gets things done.”

Until recently, Miller was also a double major in art and math, but she decided to change math to a minor. Art and math might sound like a strange combination, but she wants to go into architecture and plans to go to graduate school for that after she finishes at Luther.

Sports might be in that future, too. Miller said she would like to join some women’s leagues after she graduates and keep doing what she loves to do — play sports.

When asked if she has any regrets about playing two sports at Luther, Miller said it was not so much a regret as a small price to pay.

“The only thing I never got to do because I play sports was study abroad,” Miller said.