Kalyn Rowe. Photo/Kari Heistad
The iconic Space Needle is tattooed prominently with the rest of the Seattle skyline on Federal Way, Washington native Kelyn Rowe’s left triceps, a nod to his Emerald City roots.
But Rowe, who has played as a midfielder for the New England Revolution since entering Major League Soccer as the third overall pick in the 2012 Superdraft, readily admits that he’s found a second home in Boston.
He has even deepened his connection to the Hub – using a different type of ink – by signing a contract extension on September 30 that will keep him in a Revolution kit for the foreseeable future.
“This is the next chapter for me,” said Rowe in a phone interview. “I am excited to go forward with this team for an extended period of time.
“It means a lot to me that I’m here. This team has been to a few finals, there have been good times and tough times, like every club has. But we’ve developed a good, core group of guys.”
“Each year here has been different, but I’ve grown a lot every season. Certainly tactically and with my maturity as a player, and I think my defending has gotten a lot better as well.
To see where Rowe goes next requires you to first understand how he arrived in New England in the first place.
The off-season that Rowe became a professional player was one of high turnover and transition for the Revolution.
They had just parted ways with their head coach of 10 seasons, Steve Nicol, and were coming off a campaign in which the team finished last in the Eastern Conference and conceded the second-most goals in the league while the third-fewest.
Former Revolution defender Jay Heaps became the new man in charge. He promised during his first press conference to put a team on the field that could defend well and also rely on attacking play that was both fluid and fun to watch.
Almost three months to the date after his hiring, Heaps used his first-ever draft pick to scoop up Rowe, who, at the time, was an exciting prospect out of UCLA and the U-20 U.S. national team.
Since being drafted, Rowe has been the epitome of Heaps’ philosophy. The 24-year-old is versatile in that he’s played in most areas of the pitch save for goalkeeper; this season he’s slotted directly behind the strikers, out wide, centrally, and even at right back in both a hybrid 4-5-1 formation and a 4-4-2 diamond.
Rowe has vision, opens up space, shoots well from distance, and tracks back to defend. He is invaluable to the Revolution in transitions. He ranks third among midfielders on the team in pass accuracy, at 73 percent. And he has recorded the second-most interceptions and clearances among teammates in his same position.
On September 10, he notched his 150th regular season appearance, a sign of him being a key component in the heart of the Revolution lineup.
But Rowe has remained engaged off the field as well. He is very active with two local charities, the Jessie Rees Foundation and his Never Ever Give Up Crew, which support, primarily, children undergoing cancer treatment.
The Never Give Up Crew program provides a Revolution game day experience, with Rowe presenting patients with their very own jersey and taking them out on the Gillette Stadium field before kick-off.
“A smile goes a long way for these kids,” said Rowe, who engaged with Never Ever Give Up for six home games this season. “This a way to help kids have fun and make their day better. Cancer treatment isn’t something these kids, or their families, should have to go through.
“I’m personally not affected by cancer, but my mom was a nurse back in Seattle,” added Rowe. “Some of her stories about patients she took care of really hit home. All I try to do is make a kid smile, and the Revolution have been very gracious with their support.”
Both MLS and the Revolution have recognized October as Childhood Cancer Awareness month, though Rowe keeps the issue front and center year-round. A self-described “Cheese Ball,” he visits Boston Children’s Hospital often – alone or with his teammates – and truly appreciates the chance to spread cheer and brighten someone else’s day.
As a player, Rowe has only continued to develop in positive way. He’s been one of the most consistent players on a Revolution team that’s been painfully mired in inconsistency since the start of the season.
The playoffs now seem like a distant dream for the Foxborough outfit. But counting on Rowe is something they’ll do once more in 2017.
Follow Julian on Twitter @juliancardillo
