Former Naperville Central star Chase Adams dreamed about playing professional soccer, encouraged by those who know him best.
“Ever since I was young, I had coaches talk to me about how they think I was good enough to potentially play professionally,” Adams said. “Most of it stems from my dad having belief in me and my brother and my family pushing me.”
The dream became a reality for Adams when the Columbus Crew announced Friday that they had signed the 16-year-old forward to an MLS Next Pro contract.
“It’s kind of surreal and a really great moment to kind of realize everything I’ve accomplished and how I’ve gotten here,” Adams said. “It’s kind of fun to know I’m officially a professional athlete.”
Adams is a member of Columbus Crew 2, the club’s second team that plays in MLS Next Pro. He had been playing for the team on an amateur contract since the start of the 2024 season.
“I couldn’t be more excited to keep working with Chase as he continues to develop in Columbus,” Columbus director of player development Dan Lock said in a statement. “On and off the pitch, Chase is committed to improving himself and the team, resulting in an MLS Next Pro contract.
“Since joining the Academy, Chase has developed as a leader and has contributed significantly to the team’s performances this season as a young player. We were grateful to see his hard work rewarded by MLS Next earlier this season with an All-Star selection, and we’re excited to see Chase’s future development within our organization.”
Adams has been a prolific scorer at every level. Playing for his father, Troy, alongside his older brother, Carter, he recorded 22 goals and 20 assists as a freshman to lead Naperville Central to its first state championship in 2022.
Two months later, Chase Adams accepted an offer to join the Crew’s academy program and moved to Columbus. It was a big move for a 14-year-old, but one fully supported by Troy Adams and his wife, Jen.
“It was a long discussion between us as parents and him as a child and trying to wade through the benefits and the downsides of doing it,” Troy Adams said. “In the end, we said you don’t regret the things you do. You regret the things you don’t.
“He left at 14 years old, and the thought was at worst we’re going to give it six months and let’s see how it goes. Obviously, he can always come back, and there’s no damage done. And if it’s going well, then great. He can stay out there and keep that journey alive.”
What a journey it has been. Chase Adams trained with the first team at times in 2023 and was called up by the U.S. U15 national team, which won the 2023 Concacaf championship. He scored twice in a 4-2 victory over Mexico in the final and has since been called into two U16 national team camps.
That success prompted a move up to Crew 2, for which Adams has scored seven goals in 12 games.
“Chase has been a huge contributor for Crew 2 this season,” Crew 2 coach Kelvin Jones said in a statement. “Watching him find success at the next level has been amazing. We’re so proud of Chase as we watch him grow into his role with Crew 2 and are excited to see how he does in the remainder of the 2024 season.”
Adams has grown off the field too. He lives with a host family that includes three boys ages 6, 9 and 11.
“I’m kind of an older brother and a role model to them, which I really enjoy,” Adams said. “It allows me to help them mature, like my older brother did when I was younger.
“You mature very quickly when you’re out here because of the pressure of being a professional. Every day you’re playing with adults that are 23 or 24.”
That wasn’t easy for Adams, who is completing his high school education online.
“Being 14, I had never really traveled much when I was younger, and then moving away from my family was very hard for me,” Adams said. “But I think being able to talk to them daily and having them help me through my struggles made it easier.
“A lot of players here aren’t from here, so that kind of helped because we’re all relating in that situation.”
Troy Adams is thrilled with Chase’s situation.
“It’s a moment as a parent and as a family to be proud of,” Troy Adams said. “It’s really him and the work rate that he put in and the additional time that he would train on his own that really led him to it.
“It’s been great being a part of it, coaching him for a large chunk of his youth career.”
Signed to a pro contract, Chase Adams is eligible to be called up to the first team at any time. He’s on the Crew’s roster for the ongoing 2024 Leagues Cup.
It’s heady stuff for someone who got the best of both worlds playing high school soccer and pro soccer.
“What I really wanted to do when I was young was play high school soccer with my dad and my brother and win state,” Adams said. “To be able to accomplish that is obviously more of a dream than being a professional.
“I always loved my dad and my brother, and I always looked up to them, so being able to do that with them was perfect. Now being a pro it’s quite a surreal thing to think about what I’ve accomplished in the last two years.”
Matt Le Cren is a freelance reporter.
