PATERSON, NJ- With his professional career taking him all across the United States, and Canada, it’s easy to imagine that Derrick Etienne Jr. could have lost touch with his roots. However, when the 21 year old soccer player who currently holds a spot on the roster of the New York Red Bulls visited the Boys & Girls Club of Paterson and Passaic’s Clubhouse on 21st Avenue last week, he made it very clear that he was “home.”

The visit was made even more special thanks to the donation of 10 high quality cameras and 100 sets of headphones by Sony which Julie Wenzel, Senior Manager of Community Relations for the global brand, said they hoped would be used by the children to capture “unique moments,” and to “become inspired, get creative, and tell their stories.”

Etienne moved from room to room signing autographs and giving high fives, telling current members of his time as a “Club Kid,” and sharing memories of it being a place for him to do his school work, play soccer, and make friends in a safe environment.

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With hundreds of current “Club Kids” filling the gym, which is now run by Etienne’s older brother, Tyree, he conjured up more memories of his time spent at the facility and said that he hoped his success would inspire the younger generation to “work hard and have the determination to reach their goals.” Acknowledging that growing up in the City of Paterson comes with certain challenges he believes there are plenty of opportunities to improve the community, and hopes that children will look at him and recognize that by staying focused they can “fulfill their dreams.”

Among the attendees excited to hear Etienne speak was Christian Cooper, 15, a sophomore at Eastside High School. Cooper has hopes of attending a Division 1 college, preferably Duke University, to play basketball. “If you work hard you can do anything you want to do,” Cooper said when asked what lessons he’s learned at the Club.

Cooper’s sentiments were shared by Tyree who offered that the young basketball player’s future was indeed bright and that through the Boys & Girls Club Paterson children like him have an opportunity to “think about their futures away from home and school.” The Club, Tyree said, by exposing members to success stories like Derrick’s, shows the kids that “anyone can make it.”

The critical importance of the outlet the Boys & Girls Club provide to the nearly 1,000 children who participate every day through academic support, arts, athletics, and more was best summed up by Christian when he said that if not for the Clubhouse he’d be “at home being lazy.”