Roy Miller stepping down at Huntington Beach

Roger Carlson

Roy Miller, one of the legendary figures in Huntingon Beach High

basketball lore, has stepped down from his job as varsity basketball

coach after a 23-year reign, although he has left it open to return after

a year’s absence, should he choose.

“I just need to evaluate some things,” said the 48-year-old Miller, who

is best remembered as a member of Elmer Combs’ fabled 1968 Oilers squad

which made it to the CIF 4-A Finals against Compton, and as a coach whose

1993 team made it to the Division I-A Finals against Mater Dei, keyed by

the presence of junior Tony Gonzalez. In all, he had four Sunset League

championship teams.

Miller will continue at Huntington Beach as the Physical Education

Coordinator and is handing over the reins to his assistant, James Dingus,

on a one-year basis.

Dingus, a player for Miller in 1989 and ‘90, is only the sixth coach for

the Oilers since 1926, which included Leon Minor, Al Reboin, Lee

Mosteller, Combs and Miller.

Miller has a daughter, Erin, who is a junior at Huntington Beach. But it

is the presence of fifth-grader Dax, who is at the root of Miller’s

decision to take a year off before making a final decision, allowing him

to focus his coaching talents toward his son.

“These next six, seven, eight years are awfully important,” said Miller.