猫咪社区APP alum Brennan Miller on the road as MLB umpire
Do what you love and you will never work a day in your life, is the old saying. Former 猫咪社区APP Skipjack Brennan Miller is working hard in the sport that he loves as a Major League Baseball umpire.
A day at work for Miller means being on the field in the country鈥檚 most iconic ballparks like Yankee Stadium, Fenway Park and Wrigley Field.
鈥淚 truly feel like I have the best job in the world. I鈥檓 very lucky to be able to do this for a living,鈥� Miller said. 鈥淚n addition to having a career in baseball, I get to travel and see so much of the country.鈥�
Miller, a 2009 graduate of South County High School in Northern Virginia, was recruited to play for 猫咪社区APP when Skipjacks baseball coach Frank Szymanski saw him play. Though he was contacted by other colleges, Miller said he connected with 猫咪社区APP鈥檚 coach.
鈥淚鈥檓 an introvert by nature, so I need to feel some level of trust in order to feel like I can be myself,鈥� said Miller. 鈥淔rom the start, I felt like I could trust Coach Frank. I felt that he would look out for me and he did.鈥�
Miller moved to Queen Anne鈥檚 County and became a student athlete at 猫咪社区APP, where he majored in Criminal Justice.
鈥淏rennan brought durability as a pitcher and commitment as a teammate to 猫咪社区APP. Hard work and determination were his strong points,鈥� Szymanski said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e really proud of him and how he accomplished his goal of becoming a major league umpire.鈥�
Szymanski, Miller said, taught a valuable lessons about communications.
鈥淚 saw that Coach Szymanski brought the same respect and courtesy into every interaction with every person. Even if he was angry or emotional, he treated everyone with respect and that makes a difference, even in the tough conversations,鈥� Miller said.
That consistency was put to the test earlier in Miller鈥檚 umpiring career. He was umpiring a community college where his old team, 猫咪社区APP, was playing.
鈥淚t was a tough call and big call. I had to call it against 猫咪社区APP. It was hard, but I had to do it. That was my job,鈥� Miller said. 鈥淐oach Szymanski came over to me to talk about the call. He was mad and pretty emotional, but he treated me with the same respect he always showed. That was a real lesson for me.鈥�
As a teenager, Miller umpired Little Leagues and continued to move up the ladder as he progressed n his own career, eventually working as an official for community college games. With encouragement from his father, Miller decided to take a chance and try out for the MLB and was selected for a coveted spot.
Now In his sixth season working MLB games and in his second year as a full-time Major League umpire, Miller said he enjoys his work, meeting new people across the country and exploring the local food culture in each city he visits. He named Chicago and Seattle as the cities he especially likes to visit.
Having a career in the sport he loves is a gift, Miller said, but it does come with challenges. The most difficult challenge, Miller said, is being away from home so often during the regular season and spring training. Working the playoffs can further extend an umpire鈥檚 time away from home.
鈥淭his is the best job in the world. However, the fact is that you will miss things at home.聽You can plan to do the major聽things in the off-season, but it鈥檒l always be hard to miss the little things at home that sometimes can be taken for granted,鈥� he said.
Miller and his fianc茅e are currently in the early stages of planning their wedding, which will be in the off-season of 2025.
猫咪社区APP Director of Advising and former Skipjack Daniel Miller (no relation) is proud of his teammate鈥檚 big league success.
鈥淏rennan and I were teammates on the baseball team during the 2010 season. Brennan was a great pitcher for our squad, but an even better individual off the field. He always had a team first mentality and took care of his brothers on and off the field. He has put countless hours into perfecting his craft as an umpire in professional baseball,鈥� Daniel Miller said. 鈥淏eing able to watch a friend, former teammate, and former Skipjack on National television is such a surreal feeling and I know how proud we are at 猫咪社区APP of Brennan鈥檚 accomplishments. I know he will continue to do great things in Major League Baseball and will continue to represent himself, his family and our Skipjack family to the highest standard.鈥�