It was a journey that Aaron Miller didn’t even want to make.

But it was one that ultimately led him to a destination he never imagined.

Miller’s path to the 2021 Times News/Lehigh Valley Heath Network Tennis Player of the Year Award wasn’t typical. As a matter of fact, it was more of a maze than a path.

That’s because Miller initially had no interest in playing high school tennis.

That changed his freshman year - just a few months before the start of the tennis season - due to his love for skiing, an ultimatum from his father, and his desire to do something easy.

While it might not sound like a typical path to tennis greatness, for Miller it proved to be a maze that would lead to tremendous success.

“I never had played tennis before my freshman year, and to this day I have never had a formal tennis lesson,” said Miller, who will begin his senior year at Lehighton High School in the fall. “But I’m pretty athletic, and most sports and activities come pretty easy to me.”

Miller proved that on the court this season. After having a successful freshman season playing at No. 3 singles, and then losing his sophomore season to a COVID-19 forced cancellation of the spring sports season, Miller earned the No. 1 singles spot for the Indians this spring.

He then went out and posted a 9-2 record that included a win in the opening round of the District 11 singles tournament. His season ended in the D11 quarterfinals with a loss to top-seed and eventual champion Curtis Gruber of Bethlehem Catholic.

The success Miller enjoyed not only pleased him, it also surprised him.

“It’s a pretty big jump going from No. 3 singles to No. 1 singles - especially after I lost my entire sophomore year to COVID,” Miller said. “I’ve played so little tennis in my career that missing the season definitely hurt my progress as a player.

“My goal coming into this season was just not to lose too many matches. Because honestly I didn’t know how I would match up against other No. 1 players. I don’t play in tournaments or belong to a club. Most of my tennis is against friend ... so I didn’t know how I would measure up to some of the top players in the area.”

It turns out he matched up just fine.

“I pretty much exceeded all of my expectations,” Miller said. “I was happy with my record and getting a district win, and I was thrilled to get the Player of the Year award. That wasn’t something I was even thinking about at the beginning of the season.”

One person not surprised by Miller’s level of play and his success was first-year Lehighton tennis coach Cody Shuler.

“Aaron had such a great season,” Shuler said. “He got off to a good start and then just kept improving his game and progressing as the season went on.

“He was always staying after practice ended to work on his game. I could see he was determined to keep improving and he did just that.”

The hard work that Shuler saw, and the love for the game that Miller said he has developed - his goal is now to continue playing on the collegiate level - are in stark contrast to how things were when his tennis career began.

“I played on the golf team in the fall of my freshman year,” explained Miller about how he ended up playing tennis. “Even though I had played basketball and baseball when I was younger, I didn’t plan on playing either sport in high school. What I really wanted to do was ski.

“But my dad didn’t want me sitting around after school not doing anything all winter and spring. So he told me I couldn’t ski unless I signed up for a spring sport.”

Miller said he didn’t have much time to agree to the deal and sign up for a sport.

“There was only one week left to get a season pass for skiing, so I was a little rushed.” he said. “I looked at my choices for spring sports and, quite honestly, tennis seemed like the sport I would have to put the least amount of time and work into. So that’s why I picked it.”

But once Miller began to play tennis, his attitude about the sport quickly changed.

“I went from only playing tennis because it allowed me to ski, to it now being my favorite sport,” Miller said.

It shows in the way Miller has started working to improve his game. Not only did he spend extra time on the court practicing during the season, but he’s also spending time off the court doing things to help his game.

“I’ve been watching instructional videos, and also checking out tennis matches on TV to learn as much as I can about the sport,” Miller said. “In addition, I’m doing strength training and cardio work to help my game from that perspective.”

Miller is hoping all those things lead to an even better senior year.

“I have high expectations for next season,” he said. “I want to keep improving every aspect of my game.

“I think an unbeaten regular season is possible, and I want to make it to at least the district semifinals. I know they are lofty goals, but I believe I can achieve them.”