WS is not only home of the Spartans, but also home of two Rio Olympians; one of them being a gold medalist.
Matt Miller, 27, placed fourth and seventh in two different Men’s rowing races in Rio. He first started rowing his freshman year of high school in 2004 at WS.
He played a variety of other sports before trying rowing, including soccer, football, baseball and basketball.
After high school, he was accepted into the University of Virginia to study Systems and Information Engineering. He then joined the rowing team there, where he met who he calls one of the most influential coaches he’s ever had, Frank Biller.
Miller graduated from UVA in 2011 and started training with Potomac Boat Club in Washington, D.C. He rowed with the boat club for two and a half years.
He then received an offer from his current coach, Luke McGee, in January of 2014 to join the United States Rowing Team.
When you are offered to join the national rowing team of your country, you pack your bags and row, which is exactly what Miller did.
“[Having Olympians from WS] showed me we have people to aim for,” says Senior Bailey Price, who has met Miller a handful of times, “If they can do it, we can do it.”
Miller currently rows in California but still lives in Springfield with his wife, who also rowed at UVA.
Miller loves rowing internationally and teaches sculling (rowing with two oars as opposed to rowing, in which you only use one) to high schoolers.
It is an honor to have one of WS’s very own go to the Rio Olympics to represent our country in front of the whole world, especially one who won gold, Ginny Thrasher.
Thrasher graduated from WS last year in the class of 2016. She is 19 years old and currently attends West Virginia University, studying to major in Biomedical Engineering.
She won her first gold medal in ten meter rifle on her very first year participating in the Olympics. She is the first American to win a medal in this event since 2000, making WS proud.
Thrasher was on the rifle team throughout all four years of high school, her mother, Valerie Thrasher, being the Assistant Coach.
“It’s great to see her rewarded for her practice and accomplishments,” says Mrs. Thrasher, who serves as an unofficial spokesperson for her daughter. Thrasher’s whole family bought tickets to attend the Olympics to watch Ginny compete.
The Oracle was unable to get in touch with either athlete, but we are still proud to know they were Spartans.