By Dennis Miller
I distinctly recall when Scott McMillin called me seven years ago and asked if we could meet for lunch to talk about something he was thinking about taking on.
He explained that he was considering becoming the President of the Ballistic United Soccer Club. On the surface it may seem like a fairly benign question, but the reality is, to those of use that have worn the black and gold of BUSC, taking on that responsibility is serious – very serious.
If you never played for Ballistic or represented the club internationally and seen the level of respect the club has earned, it’s hard to understand.
After spending three years on the Ballistic board, McMillin assumed the job of Board President and for the last six years he oversaw the already highly thought of club and took it to the next level.
Now, McMillin, who retired from his high-tech job in 2020, had decided to take on the next step of his life, stepping down as President and living the life of a retired person.
Daniel Montes is the next President for Ballistic.
“It was always my plan to step down from the Board when my youngest son Brady graduated from high school,” explained McMillin. “Brady is off to SDSU in the fall and my oldest Casey is at CSU Monterey Bay so now it’s my time to really enjoy the freedom that comes with retirement.”
It’s a huge loss for Ballistic.
“Like me, Scott was fortunate to grow up in town and play in Ballistic United,” said Ballistic executive director Kevin Crow. “For the past six years the club has been blessed by having Scott McMillin dedicate his time to help Ballistic continue to develop and progress our club while building culture and teaching life lessons.”
McMillin came in with a clear direction of what he wanted to accomplish and did just that with an increased energy load.
“My goal was to put as much energy into revitalizing the club as possible and I like to think I did that,” said McMillin.
One thing I admired about what he wanted to do was make sure the BUSC recreation program continued going strong. McMillin helped the club get even stronger at the high comp levels but without compromising the Rep program.
“We adopted MLS Next (formerly U.S. Soccer Development Academy) to give the outstanding players the opportunity to stay at BUSC and still play at the highest levels while never taking our eye off the ball with recreational soccer, which I believe is the foundation of the club,” said McMillin.
One unsung accomplishment is McMillin, along with former BUSC employee Tim Ryerson, put in the time to make the club and the sport more accessible to all that wanted to play the game whether it was financially feasible.
Ryerson’s “Get on the Bus” program (www.gotbsoccer.org) that takes place across the nation, started up in 2021 at Valley View Elementary school in Pleasanton and will be entering year four this fall. It doesn’t just focus on soccer, but the kids have a study hall, and each participant is given a healthy snack after school as well.
“I realized a couple of years into my tenure that it wasn’t about the kids that were already in the program but finding a way for all kids to have access to the game regardless of socioeconomic status,” explained McMillin. “As a result, I have really enjoyed working with Tim on the “Get on the Bus” program at Valley View. One of my favorite days is when the fourth and fifth grader boys and girls get to put on their kits, socks, and shoes for the first time.”
Another program BUSC is building in conjunction with the Pleasanton RAGE is the TOPSoccer program, which provides access to soccer for kids with special needs. Under guidance from Dane Shaffer and Lauren Candia, the program runs on Friday afternoons.
“Helping launch special programs like TOPS and Get On The Bus were very important to Scott,” said Crow. “They could not have been achieved without his involvement. His passion for the club, his dedication to the club, and his “volunteer” work ethic will be impossible to match!”
Finally, the newest project and a landmark one as well, the Tri-Valley Futsal Center, is starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel.
“We are targeting September 1 to complete (the center),” said McMillin of the project that will be built on Lot L at the Alameda County Fairgrounds. “This is going to be a game changer and provide us with a facility that we can control. We will have courts and run training for all teams out there. Even our TOPSoccer and Get on the Bus kids will be able to run their programs out at our new “Safe Place to Play.”
Other programs set for the facility include “Mommy/Daddy and Me” classes in the morning for preschoolers, corporate events during the day, and adult leagues in the evenings.
“(McMillin) has been instrumental in our success in finally uncovering a solution to build our upcoming Futsal facility and continues to help raise sponsorship and private and corporate donations to help fund the futsal facility,” said Crow. “Everyone who has played in the club over the past seven years and everyone who plays in the club moving forward will be the beneficiaries of his generous nature and love of the club.”
There are plenty of things McMillin will miss as he steps away from the club but when asked for one thing, he didn’t hesitate with his answer.
“That’s easy,” said McMillin. “I retired from my paying job over four years ago which has allowed me to spend a lot of hours on business development and fund raising. As a result, I have met a lot of people in the community, so I hope to be able to maintain these new friendships. Obviously, I will miss working with the Board of Directors, staff and our families, but I will still be able to go out to the pitch and watch games on the weekends.”
After spending six years as president and putting in countless hours helping the club get to the point where it is now, McMillin sees it as the perfect time to turn the reigns over to new president Daniel Montes.
“BUSC is in great shape with the Board, leadership, and staff,” said McMillin. “(Montes) has the right disposition to bring together the board, staff, and membership to all be rowing in the same direction. He is super-efficient as he runs several companies, so I know he’ll do a great job maintaining the club at the level we are at while considering succession planning for the next version of BUSC.”
