Meet Charlie Miller | Master Player Development Trainer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Charlie Miller and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Charlie, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking.
As a former professional basketball player and someone who struggled to do well in school because no one identified that I was dyslexic, risk-taking has been a major part of my journey, both personally and professionally. It’s a concept that has shaped my life and drives ATTACK Basketball Academy to this day. I took a risk choosing which D1 college I wanted to play basketball at, not knowing what the culture would be like and moving away from the only home I had ever known for 18 years. I took risks moving to different countries in Europe to play professional basketball, knowing I could be cut from the team at any moment. I took risks reading out loud in class, not knowing if I would be made fun of because I couldn’t read at grade level. The list goes on and on, but the point is that if I didn’t take the risks, the rewards never would have manifested! For any person, especially parents who are invested in their young athletes, understanding the value of calculated risks and having faith in yourself is key—not just in basketball, but in life.

When people hear “risk,” they often think of danger or recklessness. But for us at ATTACK Basketball Academy, risk is about stepping outside of your comfort zone with preparation and purpose. It’s about making bold decisions that push your boundaries as THAT is where growth occurs.

In 2012, I faced a pivotal moment where I could have chosen the safe path of staying in corporate America, and earning a generous salary with benefits, but doing something every day that I wasn’t passionate about. Or I could step into uncertainty by going all in on our own basketball training company that my wife and I had JUST started the year before. I knew this would give me the potential to create great impact on young athletes and do something I truly love. But it also came with financial risk and the risk of failing my family. See, this was a HUGE risk at the time as my wife and business partner was 9 months pregnant with our first baby. Obviously, I ended up choosing to take the leap and go all in on ATTACK Basketball Academy. And because of that risk, I am blessed to be able to focus on developing and growing not just great players, but great people. And my wife, who is the VP of our company is able to make her own schedule so she can work from home, and still be there to pick up the kids from school, help with homework, and participate in all of their after-school activities. This would NOT be the case if we didn’t take a risk and commit to our company. No risk = No reward.

At ATTACK Basketball Academy, we teach our athletes that the biggest risk is not taking any risks at all. Staying in a comfort zone leads to stagnation. Instead, we coach them to take calculated risks—whether that means taking a challenging shot in a game or stepping up as a court leader. Even our online courses, like the NEWLY released Unstoppable Footwork, Agility, and Shooting course, are designed to build confidence through preparation and skill development. And since they are online, any player in the world can access them and grow on their own time.

Risk-taking is about growth, resilience, and the relentless pursuit of excellence. We push our players to strive for excellence by embracing challenges, taking bold, calculated steps forward, and trusting in themselves and a favorable outcome. By doing so, they become not only better players but stronger, more resilient individuals ready to take on any challenge life throws their way.

And guess what? We have been doing this for 13 years and we know it works! We have seen players graduate high school, graduate college, go into the workforce, get married, start families…you name it. And many of them have reached out to tell me that some of the lessons I taught them back in grade school stayed with them throughout the years and they are now passing them forward to others. THAT is what risk taking can do; it can grow and develop generations and create a life of excellence and joy.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
At ATTACK Basketball Academy, we are not just about developing elite basketball players; we are committed to developing elite people. What sets us apart is our holistic approach to youth basketball development. We don’t focus solely on skills and drills. Instead, we aim to nurture a growth mindset, resilience, and a relentless pursuit of excellence in every player.

Our journey to get here has been anything but easy. Starting our business in 2011 meant stepping into uncertainty and facing many challenges. As the years went by, we realized the need to differentiate ourselves from basketball programs that focus only on short-term goals and wins and losses. We wanted to build a culture that fosters long-term development and personal growth and development.

So about 4 years ago, we decided to completely pivot away from coaching games and go all in on holistic player development. Honing our focus has allowed me to fine tune my craft, allowing players to see results faster, boost their confidence, and fall in love with the game of basketball. I get to be the coach who develops personal connections with the players and helps them with the mental and physical obstacles they are facing. To no fault of their own, team coaches just don’t have the time to do this! And now, because we’ve built a strong community, we have deep relationships with our clients to the point that some of them feel like our extended family. And after working with them for a while, they understand and embrace the fact that success isn’t just about making the most baskets but about developing character, discipline, and leadership.

The lessons we’ve learned over the past 13 years are invaluable: stay true to your mission and vision, be prepared for WHEN (not if) obstacles rear their heads, and always lead with a servant heart. We are most proud of the culture we’ve created, which is reflected in the 8 Core Values of our company:

1. Deliver Excellence with Respect, Fairness, and Integrity

2. Embrace Gratitude, Collaboration, and Inclusion

3. Build a Creative Culture Focused on Family and Team

4. Be Transparent, Honest, and Accountable

5. Create Fun and Passion

6. Adopt an Empowerment Mindset

7. Be Resilient

8. Pursue Continuous Improvement with Humility

And our Culture Statement:

“At ATTACK Basketball Academy, our Core Values are more than just words.

They are the foundation for our daily actions, including how our players, coaches, parents, employees, business partners, vendors, and community interact. Embracing our Core Values allows our clients to unlock their potential and accelerate their development.

ATTACK Basketball Academy is an authentic, family-centered company designed around creating opportunities for growth through imagination and intentional work. As we expand, our strategies may change, but our humble, team-based culture will remain the same. And our dedication to premium service will never wane.”

We want the world to know that ATTACK Basketball Academy is more than just a basketball program. We are a movement committed to equipping players, coaches, and parents with the tools needed to unlock their physical, intellectual, and emotional potential for immediate and lifelong results.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Restaurants
Heritage Pizza and Taproom
Hard Eight BBQ
Chilli Thai
Babe’s Chicken Dinner House
The Shacks (dog park with restaurants)
Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen
3 Nations Brewery
Shell Shack
Trinity Groves
Armor Brewery
Dakota’s Steakhouse
Al Biernat’s
Perry’s Steakhouse
Monarch Restaurant
Fuzzy’s Tacos
The Ranch at Last Colinas

Entertainment
Studio Movie Grill
Escape Room (there are lots to choose from)
World Springs in Grandscape
TX Rangers game
Top Golf
Klyde Warren Park
6th Floor Museum
Free concerts at Grandscape
The Addison Improv
Pete’s Piano Bar
Cidercade
Dallas Arboretum
Dallas Zoo
Dallas Museum of Art
Perot Museum
Forth Worth Stockyards
Cowboys Stadium
Omni Hotel (Downtown Dallas)
The Balcony Club

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
We want to give a huge shoutout to our business and marketing consultant Laura Morlando The Stress Commando. Without her guidance, leadership, and tough love at times, our business would not be where it is today. It would not have the structure in place, it would not be as effective for our clients, and it wouldn’t have experienced the growth that we have seen since working with her. And oh yeah…all of these things apply to us as business owners as well. We have personally experienced more growth, unity, and effectiveness in the last 4 years than in all of the years before we were working with her combined. Thank you Laura!

Website: https://attackbball.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/attackbball

Linkedin: https://linked.com/company/attackbball

Facebook: https://facebook.com/attackbball

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/attack-basketball-academy-carrollton

Youtube: https://youtube.com/attackbball