When Cassandra McMiller looks out the window of her office at the Greenville Parks and Recreation Department, she can see her alma mater, Greenville High School.
As she reminisces, she recalls her time as a Hornet as some of the best years of her life. Later inducted into the school’s hall of fame, McMiller stayed busy as a young student. She starred in track, played basketball and tennis and was also was a member of the student body government.
These after-school activities McMiller participated in helped teach her many life lessons that she still uses today, she said.
Now, as the interim director of the Parks and Recreation Dept., she hopes to teach many of these same lessons to youngsters who participate in many of the programs her department offers.
“I know the importance of being on a team and learning discipline. This discipline can carry over into your work life and all your life. If you have a coach and can trust a coach and listen to what the coach is telling, there is really nothing you can’t do,” McMiller said. “I believe in practicing like it is game day so when game day comes you will always be at your best.”
McMiller became the interim director last October. She says her first few months on the job have been challenging but rewarding. The amount of children participating in baseball and softball with McMiller’s department has nearly doubled to 400 after it was decided the county would not hold baseball and softball league’s this year at the Delta Sportsplex.
“Yes, it was a challenge when we had so many kids register, but the good news was that with these new kids from the county also came some great coaches. And, that has been a tremendous help because we are always looking for volunteer coaches because the majority of our programs in parks and recreation are run by volunteers,” she said.
Along with holding successful leagues in baseball, basketball and football, McMiller said her goal is for her department to offer even more opportunities for children who may not be interested in those sports.
“We have been working to bring back a strong tennis program and we hope to have the lights done at tennis courts soon. We are starting a new program called Use Your Voice.
We started Use Your Voice because we keep hearing and seeing in the news all of these stories where teenagers are using guns or going back to school and fighting because they don’t know how to communicate. We are creating a safe place over here for kids to come over and communicate their thoughts,” she said.
With more than three decades of working in public service in the community, McMiller said she will always give back to Greenville, no matter her job title or position.
“Every program I think about creating at this department, I think about a child being exposed to something that is new to them and something that can compel them into a future that is brighter than they ever thought about,” McMiller said.
