FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – While most players utilized last week’s mandatory five-day break for some travel, rest, and relaxation, Revolution defender Peyton Miller opted to head home to his native Farmington, Connecticut and give back to his community.

The 17-year-old spent his younger days playing with Farmington Soccer Club, where he filled his childhood at the Setlow Family Field, spending hours kicking a ball against the facility’s kickwall. It wasn’t until a recent visit back home that Miller noticed the kickwall was worn down and a bit deteriorated. He wanted to do something about it.

With the help of his parents and older brother, Miller decided to host a youth soccer clinic, in partnership with his former club. The event’s purpose was to raise money for the soccer program and fund the building of a new kickwall.

“I’ve always wanted to give back to my hometown, so when I saw that the kickboard was run down, I knew I wanted to make a change,” Miller explained. “It had kind of been in the works for a while and I'm grateful that my parents and my brother were able to help make it happen. At the end of the day, the kids had fun and that's all that matters.”

The clinic was a huge success, with 80 young soccer players in attendance to gain inspiration and skills from a player who once stood in their shoes before making it as a professional.

While the clinic was an enriching experience for all the kids who took the pitch last Thursday, it may have been most inspiring for Miller himself.

“I just want to give the kids someone they can look up to and follow in their footsteps,” the young Revolution starter said. “It was a lot of fun hanging out with them, because I saw myself in all of them, just enjoying what they love to do. I was happy to see it.”

It was a moment that Miller says made him realize just how far he’s come in his own soccer career. As a recent high school graduate – finishing coursework this past April – Miller had already earned a starting position on a Major League Soccer team before he had even earned a diploma. It’s something not many people can say, but it’s a feat that Miller poured his heart into.

“It means a lot, but it’s something I worked hard for to get where I’m at. It’s special to me and for everyone that’s made sacrifices around me. I’m very grateful for all of them,” he said.

The clinic was held for kids aged 8-13, meaning that Miller was only four years older than the older attendees. When he was 13, Miller already had his sights set on big things – making the trek from Connecticut to Foxborough every day with his parents as a Revolution Academy player, before deciding on the move to enter New England’s residency program. Miller was living away from home before he had even learned to drive. It was a decision that paid off, as he signed his first professional contract only a year later.

Through everything that he’s achieved – playing with and against some players twice his age – Miller still carries a sense of passion and energy that inspires. When asked what one piece of advice he left those young players with last Thursday in Farmington, Miller put it simply.

“I just told them to keep working hard, but the most important thing is to have fun,” he said. “Because if you're not having fun, then what are you doing at the end of the day? You’ve got to have fun doing what you love.”