Britton is Miles Ahead of His Disease

Bill Kauffman
Manager, Media Relations and Publications
Phone: 719-228-6800
E-Mail: bill.kauffman@usav.org

AUSTIN, Texas (July 2, 2010) – Miles Britton (San Martin, Calif., Northern California Volleyball Association) has overcome a life-threatening disease to be able to suit up for California 18 Gold (Berkeley, Calif.) during the 2010 USA Volleyball Boys’ Junior National Championships being held July 2-9 at the Austin Convention Center in Texas.

Just over three years ago, Britton was diagnosed with a fast-paced form of lymphoma similar to the cancer Boston Red Sox pitcher Jon Lester was diagnosed with in 2006. Lester later came back to pitch in the final World Series Game in 2007. For Britton, the recovery lasted a little longer.

Prior to his illness, Britton played middle blocker for Los Gatos Apex Boys' Volleyball Club in the Bay Area of California. He even competed at the 2006 USA Volleyball Boys’ Junior National Championships held in Minneapolis. Along the path to recovery, he has kept his passion for volleyball as a driving force in his recovery.

Shortly after his diagnosis on May 7, 2007, Britton was one of two young men with life-threatening illnesses selected by the Greater Bay Area Make-A-Wish Foundation to attend the 2008 Olympic Games fulfilling wishes. As part of his wish, he asked to watch the U.S. Men’s Volleyball Team compete in the Olympic Games in Beijing.

At the time of his wish, the U.S. Men had yet to even qualify for the Olympics. Further, Britton needed to successfully complete a series of radiation treatments and be given doctors approval. Both prongs to making his wish happen occurred. The U.S. Men qualified at the NORCECA Olympic Qualification Tournament in January 2008, and Britton gained his doctor’s approval in May of 2008.

Britton was accompanied to China with his father, mother and sister. Aside from his official wish to watch the U.S. Men’s team play, he and his family had the opportunity to take in a team training session at Beijing Normal University before the U.S. Men played Serbia in the Olympic Games quarterfinals. Britton met with the players, along with then-U.S. Men’s Olympic Team Head Coach Hugh McCutcheon (Christchurch, New Zealand). While chatting with Britton and giving him encouragement, the team signed an exclusive 2008 Olympic Games volleyball.

After the visit, Britton and his family were in the stands cheering on the team they had just met. The U.S. Men later went on to win the gold medal at the Olympics in inspiring fashion.

As the U.S. Men prevailed in 2008 at Beijing, Britton has overcome the odds as well. Britton’s cancer remains in remission and he seems like your typical high school graduate looking forward to college. But for this volleyball player, it has been a long trek to recovery with volleyball as a continued source of inspiration toward recovery.

“I was Student Body President (2009-2010), and in the spring after years of near constant bothering, I finally got our school's athletic department to reform its volleyball team!” Britton said. “I was the captain of the team and the MVP for the season. We weren't the greatest team because nearly every player was new to the sport, but I don't think I would be out of place to say that as a whole, the team really enjoyed the season we spent together and several of the players really developed a liking for the sport. I graduated with my class in completely normal timing even after an insanely difficult freshman, sophomore and junior years health wise. I was fortunate enough to only be plagued with a minor cold or two during the entirety of my senior year.”

Volleyball did not end for Britton after his high school season. It just continued in a different form.

“I was fortunate enough to be offered a spot on California Volleyball Club based out of Berkeley, Calif.,” Britton said. “I currently play opposite for our 18's team, and while I'm certainly no Clay Stanley - and who is? - I am sincerely attempting to improve with my team.”

Nathan Wang, head coach for Britton’s California Volleyball 18 Gold team, has witnessed first-hand Britton’s determination on the court.

“Miles has been training with us for just over a month and a half,” said California Volleyball Club 18s Head Coach Nathan Wang. “He has come a long way since then. When watching him at tryouts, he was playing like he hadn’t touched a ball in ages. But you got the sense it would be just a matter of time before he would reach his previous level of play. Since then, he has fallen back into his normal pace and possibly even improved some along the way.”

With his club season over in less than four days, he faces a dilemma similar to others his age – do you keep training and playing in college, or stop and move on with life. For Britton, it was not a hard decision to make.

“That's hardly a decision,” Britton said. “I will be attending University of California, Davis next year and I plan on trying out for its club volleyball team. Because I hope to make this dream into reality, I know that with my remaining three months of summer I need to work extremely hard to reach the physical shape of a collegiate athlete.”

To reach this goal, Britton is well underway considering the challenges he has overcome. During the course of his radiation treatments, he gained significant weight as a side effect. In a year’s time, he has reversed the side effect’s results and put himself into a better physical condition.

“Luckily, I will have my friend and personal trainer, Gabby Neville, at my side to guide me, as always,” Britton said. “She, more than anyone, is responsible for aiding me in my successful shedding of 70 pounds of fat and now the gain of so much needed muscle. She has worked with me for over a year while being incredibly busy with coaching a successful high school team, a successful community college team and an incredibly successful team at Main Beach Volleyball Club.”

Britton also gives partial credit to Lance Armstrong as personal inspiration away from the volleyball court to spike his disease.

“I give a lot of credit to Lance Armstrong and his book for inspiring me to overcome this disease,” Britton said. “For what he has achieved in cycling after his own battle with cancer is truly inspiring. It also got me interested in road biking and that has helped m lose all the weight.”

With the disease in full remission, Britton is anxious for even more hard work doing something he truly loves. While Armstrong may have provided one source of inspiration, volleyball has always been there for him.

“Volleyball has always given me a goal,” Britton said. “I had always wanted to play volleyball again after getting the disease. It would have been so easy to stop playing volleyball, but to return to playing and fulfilling my goal has been an inspiration to my recovery.”

Now that playing volleyball is comfortably back in Britton’s life, the hard work will also continue.

“So my future is filled with even more hard work and training, but hopefully it will all pay off in my next four years at UC Davis,” Britton said.

To view teams competing in the event, click here.

USA Volleyball, in partnership with the United States Olympic Committee (USOC), will video stream three days worth of championship matches during the event. The broadcast schedule includes gold medal matches for Open and Club Divisions in 18s (July 5), 16s (July 6) and 15s (July 7) age groups. The streaming video can be accessed at usavolleyball.org/live.

Adult tickets to the tournament are $12 for daily passes or $45 an all-tournament pass. An age-division tournament pass (four consecutive days) is $35. Day passes for senior citizens, students and military are $7, while the all-tournament pass for the three groups is $25.

For more information on the USA Volleyball Boys’ Junior National Championships, visit usavolleyball.org/events/2403.

2010 USA Volleyball Boys’ Junior National Championships Schedule
12 Club: July 2-4
13 Club: Cancelled due to limited team registrations
14 Club: July 5-8
14 Open: July 5-8
15 Club: July 4-7
15 Open: July 4-7
16 Club: July 3-6
16 Open: July 3-6
17 Club: July 6-9
17 Open: July 6-9
18 Club: July 2-5
18 Open: July 2-5

Tags: USA Volleyball Boys' Junior National Championships