Kolton Miller football camp brings 300-plus campers to Roseville High

"Once a Tiger, always a Tiger." That's Las Vegas Raiders offensive tackle Kolton Miller's motto when thinking about his days attending Roseville High and playing on the football team, and that's why he puts on a free football camp and invites the community to attend, because he loves his school. Three-hundred and sixty boys and girls between the ages of 7 and 14 signed up for Miller's second annual camp held Saturday. Close to 150 volunteers, including coaches and players in Roseville's High School football program, volunteered to run the camp, and all had a good time doing so. "What I remember about last year's camp was it was an idea that we were all planning on for months and it all came together," said Miller, who graduated from Roseville High in 2014 and went on to play at UCLA on a football scholarship. "The kids were having so much fun. It was awesome and a great time. This year everything is dialed in. We tweaked some stuff, but it's so cool seeing everything come together; the community coming in, all the volunteers and the kids having fun. That's what it's all about." This year's camp was primarily the same, as the kids were in groups of about 25 and rotated among the 12 stations throughout the camp which ran from 9 a.m. to noon. Stations included a pass catching and diving on to mats, a rope station, blocking sled, 40-yard dash, agility, field goal, blocking, receiving, pass rushing, tackling, pursuit and a tire station. Miller said he had his favorite. "Last year I enjoyed catching passes on the mats," Miller said. "As a lineman, I never get to catch passes so diving onto the mats was fun. "Another thing, I saw a kid having trouble with the ropes. He was tired, so I went over to see what I could do to help him out. That changed it for him and he lit up. I liked that." Miller loved going to school at Roseville High and loves coming back and putting on the camp. "I had some of my funniest moments right here on this field," Miller said. "We won a JV championship on this field. I had some of my toughest days here too, but we got through it together." Miller missed four games a season ago and parts of three other games injured. He said he's feeling better and is looking forward to the upcoming season, his seventh in the NFL. Miller, a first-round draft pick of the Raiders in 2018, approached the Roseville football program in 2022 and asked what he could do to help. In the end, Miller made a generous donation of money that went toward upgrading the weight room, including new barbells, bumper plates, dumbbells and plyo boxes. Money from this year's camp will go to the purchase of new varsity jerseys and helmets, paying 16 coaches, and head coach Adam Reinking said the program is always seeking to upgrade technology and equipment. "What's important to me about the camp is while there are other options that are out there, we have alumni who have had so much fun and enjoyed the traditions at this school that he wants to come back every year and put on a free football camp," Reinking said. "He wants to write checks to make sure our facilities are as good, if not better than the other schools in the district. "For me, this camp is about opening our doors to the community to show that people who are supposed to go to West Park or Woodcreek that there's something special about Roseville and that's why Kolton comes back, so that's special. Just because we're not the newest school doesn't mean kids can't have a good experience with us." Miller spoke the kids and their parents before the camp started, starting with a chant of "R.a.i.d.e.r.s." which got the crowd fired up. "I want to thank all of our sponsors that made this thing happen," Miller said. "I'm super excited to get this camp started. I had some of my greatest moments right here on this field and I want to give that to you. "To the kids, I want you all to have a great attitude, a big smile on your face, wanting to get better, be coachable and I want you to finish." Camp sponsors included 4R and Sonrise with Ramco Restaurants (provided the free lunch), Kaiser Permanente, Four Sisters Café, Green Acres Landscaping, Gooseport Restaurant, Lineman Win Games, InShape Family Fitness and PRIME Sports Drink.