Youngsville Kid Once Featured on Sports Complex Flyer Signs With NFL Team
(Youngsville, Louisiana) - Years ago, a little boy from Youngsville stood on a flyer promoting a dream—a vision to build the Youngsville Sports Complex. That boy, wearing #23 and gripping a baseball bat, was Dalen Cambre.
Now, that same kid is headed to the NFL, signing with the New York Giants and preparing to chase his dreams on Sundays at MetLife Stadium.
Cambre, a Lafayette native and former Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns standout, carved out an impressive path through the game of football, one rooted in hard work, humility, and hometown pride. From excelling on those very fields that were ultimately built in Youngsville, to making plays at St. Thomas More, to earning a name for himself at Cajun Field, Cambre’s story is one that proves how far a dream, hard work, and a community’s support can take you.
A Full-Circle Moment
Youngsville Mayor Ken Ritter marked the occasion with a powerful full-circle moment, sharing the flyer that once featured Cambre as a child. “Years ago, Dalen – then #23 – stood for a photo supporting the vision of the Youngsville Sports Complex,” Ritter wrote. “And now he’s living the dream!”
Cambre replied: “I remember that day like it was yesterday. Thank you—and thank you to the City of Youngsville.”
Praised by Coaches and Broadcasters
Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns head coach Michael Desormeaux called Cambre “Mr. Consistent,” and longtime “Voice of the Cajuns” Jay Walker echoed that sentiment, offering perhaps the most detailed scouting report Cambre could ask for:
“He’s been a Swiss Army knife. He found a way to get on the field early in his career. Then he found a way to expand his role. He’s as good a holder as I’ve ever seen. He became a demon on kick coverage. As a receiver he had great hands and was a good blocker. He’s going to have a chance to stick in the NFL.”
Giving Back Where It All Began?
Supporters online have suggested Cambre return to Youngsville to host a youth camp—an idea he quickly agreed to. It’s clear he hasn’t forgotten where it all began.
MetLife Stadium is a long way from the Youngsville Sports Complex. But for Dalen Cambre, both are home fields—proving that dreams, no matter how small they start, can grow as big as the person behind them when the work is done.
