Coach Randy Miller, son Darrin prepare for Japan wrestling tour
Darrin Miller battles to keep a high school opponent from escaping for a point. Miller is one of the top wrestlers in the state at his weight.
ROYAL CITY - Randy Miller will coach wrestling a lot this summer, and his son Darrin will wrestle a lot, but that won't be the best part of their summer.
The highlight will be a tour of Japan while wrestling. It will be one of the few educational experiences father and son will ever share, and it came about by chance.
Randy was on a waiting list the past few of years for a coaching assignment with the Oregon/Washington-Japan Cultural Exchange teams. The program rotates coaches every 2-3 years, and Randy's name came up this year.
"It was a nice surprise when my spot came up," he said. "It just so happened that Darrin was selected to be on the Washington team this year."
The Oregon and Washington boys will be on an academic experience as well as a wrestling experience, Randy said. There will be six dual meets.
The exchange participants will leave the U.S. on June 21. They will arrive in Osaka on June 22. The tour will include meets at Osaka, Shiga, Nara and Wakayama. They will return to the States on July 2.
Japan is a gift giving country, Randy noted. Each time a wrestler takes to the mat, there will be a gift exchange.
The gift can be anything that has a wrestling message, Randy said. Every gift needs to be properly wrapped and presented with both hands in a respectful manner.
"Darrin is collecting some cool wrestling gear that has a Northwest message to it," Randy said.
"We will also exchange gifts with host families we are staying with," Randy added. "These gifts must follow the same procedure. Great gifts are food from your area you live in."
Japan won't be the only tour for the Millers. They are part of the Royal Wrestling Club that will wrestle in Boise, Idaho from June 16-20 in the Bucks Bag Duals at Capitol High School.
Randy plans on driving down Highway 55, through the middle of Idaho, to give his boys exposure to the State of Idaho and its history. When they arrive at Boise State University they will go to the football stadium to experience the blue Smurf Turf. Then they will explore the campus.
"We plan on spending some time in the Boise National Forest," Randy said.
This camp will give each wrestler 14-16 dual matches and a take-down tournament. They will be wrestling teams from the Boise area in a team dual format.
"I hope that everyone will get some tough matches to develop them for the upcoming (high school) season," Randy said.
Lately, Darrin has been spending most of his free time in the gym working out and working on his wrestling moves. Mostly he practices with the coach.
"I need to find him some practice partners for him," Randy said. "He's wearing me out."