Carolina RB Miles Sanders stays connected to area with football camp at Woodland Hills

Miles Sanders has traveled well beyond his Woodland Hills roots, but his home base always was the Keystone State.

Until now.

After attending Penn State and spending the first four years of his NFL career with the Philadelphia Eagles, Sanders signed a four-year, $25 million free-agent contract with the Carolina Panthers in the offseason.

“It’s a little weird. I’m not going to lie,” said Sanders, who hosted his second Miles Sanders Youth Football Camp on Sunday morning at the Wolvarena. “I’m from Pittsburgh, went to Penn State and went to Philly. It’s my first time being out of state, so it’s a little weird. I like it. I’m excited for a new journey and a new beginning.”

The camp helps keep Sanders connected to Western Pennsylvania. Sanders put his current personal trainer and former youth football coach, Craig Williams, in charge of running the event.

“He was the first person to put the ball in my hands,” Sanders said. “I’ve seen the same things from him since I was little when he works with these kids, and he did the same with me.”

Williams, whom Sanders considers his mentor, said he enjoys working with players at this level. Sanders’ camp had about 350 kids registered for the event, which included assorted drills.

“We want them to stay grounded and listen to their parents and teachers,” said Williams, a 1990 Woodland Hills graduate. “Education is the most important thing. Any kid, it doesn’t have to be through football, we want to make sure they are listening to the right people and the right parents.”

Sanders said he enjoyed going to youth football camps growing up. He tried to go to as many as possible that were hosted by various Pittsburgh Steelers players in the area. Sanders encourages kids to do the same.

“I want them to do whatever they can to get where I’m at,” Sanders said. “There’s a lot of discipline and hard work and listening to the parents, most importantly. We want to instill into their brains that listening to parents is the most important thing. The way things are right now, sticking together family-wise is the best way to go.”

Sanders, who helped the Eagles reach the Super Bowl last season, hopes to show everyone he can adapt to a new environment this season. Sanders compiled 3,708 rushing yards during his four seasons in Philadelphia. He joins a Panthers team that went 7-10 last year.

Williams believes Sanders has the skillset to be successful anywhere.

“It was amazing to watch,” Williams said. “A lot of people will tell you by age 8, I told his mom he was going to the NFL. He always had that ‘it’ factor. He wanted to improve his body, mind and spirit to make that dream happen. Watching him go through the process and get better and betting on himself was something to watch.”