Former Bellflower High School football coach Jason Miller said he is looking forward to becoming the head coach at his alma mater, Leuzinger High School. (Photo by John W. Davis, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Jason Miller is back in a familiar place.
Miller, a 1996 graduate of Leuzinger High School, is back as the Olympians' new football coach.
Miller replaces Leuzinger after spending the past two seasons at Bellflower High School. He replaces Alvin Steen, who coached the Olympians last season. Leuzinger went 6-5, 4-1 in the Ocean League last season, losing in the first round of the CIF Southern Division 3 playoffs.
“I come in as a Leuzinger graduate and let them know I’m a part of it,” Miller said. “I walked down the hallway, I walked down the street to school. I was prom king, captain of the football team, all-around Olympian, this is my dream come true.”
Miller returned to Southern California after coaching at Gunn High School in Palo Alto. In his first two seasons with Bellflower, he won the league title. He won the league championship four consecutive seasons. In his first season at Bellflower (2022), he led the Buccaneers to the CIF Southern Section Division 11 Championship.
But success is not easy.
“The equation starts with hard work,” he said. “First we care about people, and then we teach our children how to love each other and be productive members of society. If all we talk about is winning, we won't win.”
Miller's first coaching job came at Leuzinger a few years after graduation. He studied and was coached under legendary coach Don Markham and utilized the double wing offense at both Gunn and Bellflower. He added that he plans to switch to a pro-style attack with Leuzinger.
The Olympians will join Palos Verdes, Inglewood, Mira Costa, Culver City and Lawndale in the Bay League next season.
“The Bay League is as challenging as the California public school leagues,” Miller said. “We have jobs that are right for us.”
Miller said he is still finalizing his staff.
His coaching resume also includes head coaching positions at Verbum Dei and Inglewood.
