WEBVTT

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My name is Nikki Miller and I majored in communications 

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at Western Oregon University.

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Today, I am the graduate assistant coach here at Western Oregon University 

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for the softball team. And I work the girls on the field and off the field, mentoring them,

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coaching them, teaching them fundamentals about the game. 

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And honestly just passing the game on that gave me so much, just evolving it. 

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I majored in communications because I really enjoy communicating with people

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and being in athletics my whole life, it was just something that came natural

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and I really wanted to highlight that. And tying that into coaching is 

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you have to be able to communicate as a coach. And I think that's a very 

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important part of coaching. And I think being young and new into the coaching

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that having that communication edge to me just really helps elevate the game.

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And elevate working with our players.

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Okay, what I want you guys to do is just pull up your Portal and I'm just going to come by...

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Tonight of the field, we're doing study hall.

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That is two times a week the girls dedicate two hours to studying

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where they just come in and do their homework because we have 

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a very busy schedule that homework is very important. 

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They are students before they are athletes.

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My favorite part of the job is being able to mentor these young, women athletes.

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I think giving back to the game that gave me so much 

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is what makes this job so fun. 

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And I get to be around softball at times so who wouldn't want that? 

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I attribute my current job success to being an undergrad and being a student-athlete

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and learning how to juggle that work-life balance. 

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Western is such a special place because of the tight-knit community

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that surrounds this university. It's like a second home to me.

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I would recommend WOU to any student who wants to invest in themselves

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and further their education. 

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It worked for me so it can work for you. 

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music