200 middle and high schoolers attended the Champ Kelly CHAMP Camp
The Champ Kelly CHAMP Camp is an annual youth football camp led by Las Vegas Raiders assistant general manager Champ Kelly. Hosted at the Raiders practice facility, over 200 middle schoolers and high schoolers from around Las Vegas were able to attend the two-day camp.
Coached by Kelly himself, the Champ Kelly CHAMP Camp is staffed with local coaches from the Las Vegas area along with the Raiders 2023 rookie class.
“Growing up I didn’t have the means or the funds to go to some of the best football camps, but I loved the game of football,” said Kelly. “Me and my wife, we always talked about it. If we were ever in a position to give back to the youth who are in search or in need of encouragement or support, then we would provide that. Using the avenue that I’ve been blessed with — the knowledge to be a part of this game of football — to be able to give it back is a benefit to myself and it’s what we love to do.”
In the past ten years, the Champ Kelly CHAMP Camp has been held across six different states. This year’s event was held at the Intermountain Health Performance Center where the middle and high schoolers were able to participate in 1-on-1s and 7-on-7 team drills.
“Coming up as a little kid, I went to a lot of camps like this thrown by former NFL players, other schools and colleges,” said Raiders fifth-round draft pick Christopher Smith II. “But this is the first one I’ve been to thrown by an assistant GM. That’s what’s really special about this. That just attests back to Champ Kelly’s character. And being able to give back to the community is so special, to be able to give back what was given to me when I was a little kid.”
Although Kelly and his wife Stephanie have been holding the camp around the nation since 2010, this was the first time they did it in Las Vegas. Cheers to many more.