American midfielder Tyler Adams grew up roughly 76 miles from where he made his professional soccer debut, and after growing into one of the leading role models for the U.S. men’s national team, the New York native was honored in his hometown.
Adams was in Wappinger Falls on Tuesday as Martz Field Recreation Facility honored the midfielder with the newly named Tyler Adams Soccer Pitch. A former High School graduate of local Roy C. Ketcham High School, Adams helped led drills with youth soccer players as part of his partnership with Scotts lawn care products to help raise awareness about the expansion of youth access to natural-turf sports fields.
Fresh from his busy USMNT involvement this summer, Adams shared his enjoyment in giving back to his community and expects the interest in soccer to continue growing.
“No, I definitely never dreamed of that,” Adams said in an exclusive interview with SBI when asked if he ever thought of a local field being named after him. “It’s a huge honor that it happened. I’m really thankful to not only Scotts and my partnership with them, but also to the people in my community that helped really make this possible. Coming back here now and play a part in something that I grew up in playing with my friends and family, and seeing young kids playing soccer is really special.
“You’ve seen the success of the [U.S.] women’s national team and the effect that has on so many young girls around the country,” Adams added. “I think as our U.S. national team gets better and better, that support is going to change for so many young kids. I’ve seen it grow tremendously in just the past eight years since I’ve been playing for the national team, so after the World Cup on home soil and so many other tournaments, I can only imagine what it will do.”
Adams made his USMNT debut back in 2017 and has quickly become a leading face of the program, on and off the field. He recently made his 50th cap, while serving as captain throughout the summer in Mauricio Pochettino’s squad.
Now at 26-years-old and in the prime of his club and international career, Adams voiced his excitement for 2026 and also credited the growing changes in the program compared to when he began with the USMNT.
“Having the luxury of playing a World Cup on home soil is amazing,” Adams said. “Not many players in their lifetime get an opportunity to play in a World Cup, let alone on home soil, so for me, I’m going to take that in full swing. I am really enjoying the fact of playing in front of so many friends and family.”
“When I first started with the national team, it was probably not as focused on the development of players as it is now,” Adams said. “You have Mauricio and his assistant coaches going to clubs, meeting the coaches and players, seeing how they fit into these teams and helping have these conversations. It’s a huge privilege to see the growth of U.S. Soccer and I can only imagine that in another eight years time, it’s going to be even better. I take huge pride in being an experienced player now and helping those young players reach their maximum potential.”
Adams will now have a short break from action before beginning preseason camp with English Premier League club Bournemouth ahead of the PL Summer Series in the U.S. Adams most recently completed his second season with the Cherries, delivering a sensational individual campaign of 32 appearances and three assists.
The South Coast club finished ninth in EPL play, missing out on European qualification by nine points. Andoni Iraola’s men also reached the FA Cup quarterfinals while watching international stars like Adams, Justin Kluivert, Antoine Semenyo, and many others shine during the 2024-25 campaign.
Despite the losses of Dean Huijsen and Milos Kerkez to Real Madrid and Liverpool respectively this summer, Adams credited Bournemouth’s impact on helping those players earn monumental moves in their careers.
“The growth of the club is reflected by some players going to play at big clubs like Real Madrid Liverpool, that only happens with team success,” Adams said. “Obviously, they’re incredible individuals and individual players, but those moves happen when you have a good, successful campaign as a team.”
The Cherries will face off with fellow EPL clubs Everton, West Ham United, and Manchester United during an eight-day period before returning to England for the final matches of their preseason schedule. It will mark the second PL Summer Series in the last three years in North America, which has led to many international stars showing off their talents across several future World Cup venues.
With Adams serving as the lone American on the first-team squad, he is already planning to be a tour guide for the rest of the group.
“Another honor for me to be able to play with my club, being stateside, and really being able to grow Bournemouth, but also grow myself as well,” Adams said. “I’m sure guys are going to be asking me about different places, where to go, where to eat and shop. Hopefully I can be a tour guide for them.”
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