ABOUT YOOPER SECRETS
AND PAT MILLER
August 9, 2026
Like many families in the post depression era my mother and dad moved from Indiana to Menominee, the southern gateway city to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. I was born and raised in Menominee.
My father was a math and physics teacher and head football and basketball coach and mom mostly stayed at home taking care of my three siblings and myself.
My father had an innate ability to transpose historical sites into living breathing personifications of their time.
My first memory camping wise was in Detour, Michigan in World War II vintage army pup tents listening to the freighters passing through the St Mary’s River and Soo Locks from one end of Lake Superior to ports unknown.
Our father convinced us in those pup tents that we were at the European front in World War II and those were troop ships moving to battle!
Later I was fortunate to play on a historic state championship basketball team in 1967 at Menominee High School. This exposure earned me many scholarship opportunities of which I chose Michigan State University.
After a successful playing career in both football (punter) and basketball I became an assistant coach at my Alma mater and eventually a head coach for 15 years at Northwood University where I also served as an admissions representative and golf coach.
During that time I was asked to be a consultant to the Detroit Pistons during their “Bad Boys” run to an NBA championship.
My particular expertise was in shooting the basketball and teaching people how to shoot a basketball. That successful Pistons experience helped me create UCanShoot basketball camps and clinics which has led me to do programs in 36 states and many Upper Peninsula schools.
Over the years I have made hundreds of trips around the U.P. and currently keep a boat in the Menominee Marina and have a property in Manistique.
From Detour in the east to Copper Harbor in the North and the Porcupine Mountains to the west I’ve uncovered many unique spots and even more unique people with Secrets to share!
This website is a family affair that includes contributions from my niece, Suzy Miller; nephews Jim and Lee Miller; sister Nancy Miller; and Editor/Publisher emeritus Mike Miller my older brother and guiding light in Yooper Secrets as well as life’s contingencies.
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By Mike Miller, Copyright 2020-2026 YooperSecrets.com
