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Etienne on Doorstep of Parallel Family Achievement

By NICHOLAS MURRAY - nicholas.murray@uslsoccer.com, 10/21/16, 5:15PM EDT

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Red Bulls II standout following in father’s footsteps, one win from USL crown


Photo courtesy of New York Red Bulls II

With the score level inside the final 10 minutes of the 2002 D-3 Pro League Final between the Long Island Rough Riders and host Wilmington Hammerheads FC, the game was in the balance.

With eight minutes to go, however, Long Island’s Derrick Etienne received a dropped pass by Andrew Mittendorf just inside the top of the penalty area, and fired home. The goal gave the Rough Riders a 2-1 victory, as Etienne claimed Championship Game MVP honors.

“My dad’s competitive, so he talks about him being a USL champion, and being MVP,” said New York Red Bulls II standout Derrick Etienne Jr. this week. “He kind of hangs that over my head.”

For Etienne Jr., the first chance to mark his own place within the family’s soccer history arrives on Sunday, as the Red Bulls II host the Swope Park Rangers in the 2016 USL Cup Final. One of the brightest players in the USL this season – earning the No. 3 position in the USL 20 Under 20 this summer – Etienne Jr. has come a long way since joining the club as an academy signing at the start of the 2015 season.

“It’s something I can’t even describe,” Etienne Jr. said. “Last year I was blessed enough to be called in. I was happy just training in the USL and with the first team, and then being able to put myself in the lineup and make a case for myself to be a consistent player in the USL last year, and with my performances being able to earn a first-team contract, I feel like it was just all of the little steps I’ve been taking over the last year.”

Etienne Jr. was one of the players that John Wolyniec targeted when he was appointed as the Red Bulls II’s Coach. Given his knowledge of what Etienne Jr. could do through his work with the Red Bulls Academy, Wolyniec has been pleased to see the progression he’s made, particularly in his first full season as a professional this year.

“I think he’s come a pretty far way,” said Wolyniec. “He’s always been a talented player, a great attacking player, a player with a different type of play that brings special plays to the game. He’s had to round out his game by improving on the physical side, on the defensive side, on the effort side, and he really committed to those things, and he showed early on that he can be successful as a pro.”

As young as the Red Bulls II are up and down the lineup, the collective accountability the side holds itself to shows a maturity beyond its years. While Wolyniec acts as a conduit for the side to perform at its best – “he says he wants this to be our team,” said Etienne Jr. – the players are the ones who take on the responsibility of putting the plan into action.

“We all hold ourselves to a high standard. We hold each other accountable for everything that goes on in the team, so if someone’s not sharp on the day, and you can’t always be sharp, but we have to bring our standards up,” said Etienne Jr. “You have to continue to work hard, and I think that’s a very big reason as to why we’re where we are. We’ve built our team, we all understand our roles and what’s expected of us, and we all take ownership.”

Having your father and uncle both be former professionals certainly helped Etienne Jr.’s progression as a young player, and has also played a part in his willingness to take a leadership role for the Red Bulls II. Etienne Sr. competed for the Richmond Kickers prior to joining the Rough Riders, which means Etienne Jr. has even had the chance to compete on the same fields his father did during his professional career.

“One thing I really picked up was wanting to win,” Etienne Jr. said. “He taught me discipline, and just all-around professionalism.”

That doesn’t mean the 20-year-old isn’t going to let his dad hear it if the Red Bulls II earn a victory on Sunday night at Red Bull Arena, though. 

“I think winning the USL championship 10 years before he did [at his age] would definitely put myself ahead, and get bragging rights,” Etienne Jr. said with a smile, “but they’re extremely proud of me, and the way the season has gone as a whole, and they’re glad that I’m able to be part of our record-breaking team.”