He transferred to Auckland two years ago to join Jan Cameron's squad and expected to qualify for the Olympics.
His self-esteem took a battering when he narrowly failed to reach the qualifying standards and was contemplating giving up his swimming career.
But he was thrown a life-line when he was named in the New Zealand surf life-saving team for the world championships in Germany last July. McMillan (23) admitted being shattered and did not train for two weeks after the Olympic trials.
He needed time to reassess his goals.
The opportunity to compete in surf life-saving again with the St Clair club came along at the right time and gave him another target to concentrate on.
"It was a blessing in disguise for me," McMillan said.
"I'm excited about surf life-saving and it gives me the chance to train and compete with a different group of friends."
McMillan, who is still training with the Cameron squad in Auckland, gets another opportunity to shine in the surf when he competes for Otago in the Lion Foundation Surf League at Mount Maunganui on February 8 and 9.
McMillan displayed excellent form for the Surf League by winning the surf race at the Owen Chapman Cup at Red Beach last weekend.
He beat Olympian Dean Kent and his brother, Steven, in a star-studded race.
McMillan has been a member of the St Clair Surf Life Saving Club since he was a pupil at Otago Boys High School and has remained loyal to the Otago club.
Otago did not compete in the Surf League competition last year - the first time in 13 years it had missed the New Zealand interprovincial teams championships- but has returned this year with a strong looking team.
It includes cousins Mike and Sam Kinraid, who are specialists in the IRB event, the multi-talented Sam McCutcheon and former Olympic kayaker Finn O'Connor.
Otago has fared well in the draft by picking up current New Zealand women's beach sprint champion Arna Wright (Mount Maunganui) and the talented Mairangi Bay iron woman Bailey Elliott.
The Otago under-19 team includes pool swimmers Ryan Shanks, Carina Doyle and Adam Simpson.
It will be competitive in the junior competition. Eight provinces are competing in the league.
The favourites for the teams title are Gisborne, which has won the event on three occasions, and Auckland, which has been champion four times.
Gisborne won the title in 2007 and Bay of Plenty last year.
The other teams are Taranaki, Hawkes Bay, Wellington, Canterbury
Otago team
For Surf League
Senior: Finn O'Connor, Michael Hastie, Heath Ratten, Sam McCutcheon, Jason Coombes, Mike Kinraid, Sam Kinraid, Andrew McMillan, Carla Laughton, Stephanie Laughton, Joe Kemp, Bailey Elliott, Arna Wright.
Under-19: Ben Pickles, Ant Jackson, Ben Davidson, Ryan Shanks, Sophie Robb, Carina Doyle, Joe Kemp, Adam Simpson, Leesa Barton, Karina Radley.
