HAMPTON, Va. – Nowadays, former Tar Heel standout Dazz Newsome spends his time preparing for the NFL Draft. Although, not without making sure he takes time to give back to the Boys & Girls Club that he once called home.
Newsome visited The Boys & Girls Clubs of the Virginia Peninsula Citizens Unit Club on Friday, hoping to instill in the kids this piece of advice: "Anything you put your mind to you can do it, really just no matter where you're from you can do anything," Hampton High School product Newsome said. "When you do make it somewhere, make sure you come back to your roots."
When Newsome returned to his roots at the Citizens Unit Club, he threw a pizza party for the children, signed autographs and threw a football around with the kids, who had their own gift for Newsome.
"It’s a great feeling honestly, just knowing that I used to go here when I was in like second or third grade, just being able to give back to the kids and tell them they can do whatever they put their mind to," said Newsome, who was gifted a framed note congratulating him on his UNC success and future as a pro.
"He’s always had a way with kids," Aisha Rogers, Newsome's mother, said. "They love Dazz and this means a lot for him because Dazz has always said that if there was ever an opportunity he would give back to his community, and especially with the kids."
Boys & Girls Clubs of the Virginia Peninsula President & CEO Hal Smith said, "We are thrilled to welcome Dazz back to his “home” Club. He exemplifies the importance of giving back and to never forget where you come from. We are grateful to him for spending time with the kids, for hosting the party and for signing autographs for them. We all wish him the best of luck in the NFL draft and look forward to following his career. He is always welcome “home.”
Giving back to the children in his community hits especially close to home because he has a daughter of his own, Yelaina, who Nwesome says has kept him grounded and focused.
“Being a father is definitely life changing," Newsome said. "It's definitely something that I think everyone should experience. It just makes you see stuff in a different perspective."
He's gained the perspective of fatherhood, will soon have the perspective of a pro football player and makes sure to always remember the perspective he once had as a child at The Boys & Girls Clubs.
