QB BOLLER SHOWS HIS 'HART' IS AS BIG AS HIS ARM.

Byline: GERRY GITTELSON Community Sports

NEWHALL - Former Hart High football star Kyle Boller, preparing for his third NFL season as the starting quarterback for the Baltimore Ravens, returned to his alma mater this past week.

Mind you, not to receive a cheesy award or partake in a kissy-faced celebration to retire his jersey or something of that order. No, Boller had more important business, a task of a truly substantial nature: He came back to help children by participating in a youth football camp.

``It's awesome because I was once one of these little guys myself,'' Boller said. ``It just feels good to come out here and help out. It's fun.''

Boller, who graduated from Hart in 1999, then played at Cal before joining the NFL, doesn't have to do things like this - he wants to. These days, he spends much of his time while in California at his new home in Huntington Beach, but he has remained close with camp organizer Dean Herrington, Boller's former offensive coordinator at Hart who's now at College of the Canyons.

``Actually, it's great to spend time with the kids but they don't even need me here because Dean is such a great quarterback coach. He's very valuable to them, too,'' Boller said. ``But I enjoy it, and I think both Dean and I like to see the kids come out here and improve.''

Another former Hart quarterback, Fresno State's Sean Norton, also helped out at the camp. For Norton, it was an honor to work with Boller, as two members of Hart's strong quarterback legacy spent a couple of days together helping children perhaps become the next Sean Norton or next Kyle Boller.

``This is a great opportunity to be a model for these little guys,'' Norton said. ``And to do this with an NFL quarterback, that's huge. Plus, it's a big boost for myself to come back and see where I came from - and where I want to be.''

At the end of the camp, Boller and Norton took turns throwing long bombs - Hart's receiving corps did the leg work - and the kids went wild watching Boller launch 70-yarders ... on his knees.

``Wow, Mom, did you see that?'' one of the kids said.

For the 40 or so youngsters lucky enough to be at Herrington's camp, this was an experience of a lifetime, but perhaps it was an ever better deal for Boller and Norton.

--In other Hart quarterback news, incoming freshman Spencer Souza is hoping to make an impact on the freshman team after starring as a baseball player in the William S. Hart PONY League. Souza is competing with Darrin Sholes for the starting position, and freshman coach Dan Cota likes them both.

``They're both very solid,'' Cota said.

Jim Wagner, who coached Souza during the Bronco All-Star tournament two seasons ago, believes Souza has the capability of being a two-sport standout.

``He's great at baseball but Spencer has played football all of his life, too,'' Wagner said. ``He wants to be the next great Hart quarterback.''

Another Hart freshman to watch is Demetri Diamond, a fast running back.

--The third annual College of the Canyons alumni men's basketball game is scheduled for 4 p.m. Aug. 13. Alums interested in participating should call the basketball office: [phone].

--A couple of summer camps are on tap. At Valencia, new football coach Larry Muir has organized the Viking Youth Football Camp for kids of all skill levels in grades 3-8 from 4-7 p.m. on July 12-14. The focus of the non-contact camp is on fundamentals: throwing, catching, running, blocking and tackling. Sign up at College of the Canyons' community extension office or call [phone], Ext. 714.

At Hart, girls' basketball coach Dave Munroe's annual Indians Fundamentals Camp is scheduled from July 25-28. Kids going into grades 3-5 begin at 3:30 p.m., and kids going into grades 5-7 begin at 5:30 p.m. Former Hart boys' standout Ryan Wolfe is scheduled to help out. Sign up at the Santa Clarita Parks and Rec center on Valencia Boulevard in Valencia. For more information call [phone].

--Second-year program Golden Valley High has taken its lumps during summer seven-on-seven football competition, but coach Rob Swartz said the emphasis is on improvement, and he believes the seniorless team is making progress.

``We've got a lot of young kids obviously, about one-third sophomores, so we're a little green. But we're getting better,'' he said. ``Both of our quarterbacks, Jeremy Carson and Justin White, are experiencing some growing pains, and we've dropped a lot of passes. But everything we're doing is for the future, and we're working hard.''

Carson, the team's top running back last season, recently attended a quarterback camp at Cal Lutheran.

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NFL quarterback Kyle Boller works with kids at Dean Herrington's passing camp at Hart High.

Hans Gutknecht/Staff Photographer