By Ryan Makuch
AFC Ann Arbor are pleased to confirm the signing of Josh Adam ahead of the 2022 USL League Two campaign. Adam joins MSU teammates Lance McGrane and Louis Sala as the third Spartan planning to make the trip join I-96 to join AFCAA for the summer season.
The Brighton native was a freshman for Michigan State in the 2021 collegiate season. Adam was hampered by injury throughout the year, but he was able to make ten appearances and five starts while logging his first career goal – the opener of a 1-1 draw with Wisconsin. Standing 6’2” and serving as a valuable presence in the backline, Adam’s collegiate experiences at an early age will surely aid him in his quest to play and improve over the summer.
In discussing why AFCAA was the right fit, Adam said that the decision was ultimately not too tricky. “I knew I wanted to play somewhere locally during the summer, and I know AFC Ann Arbor is a very good club that will be able to help me continue to grow and develop as a player over the summer.”
Adam also fits right in with a core of men and women from Michigan or that have played in Michigan throughout their youth/collegiate careers. “It’s a very cool experience representing my state at both college and club levels,” Adam shared. “It's a great feeling to have people cheer me on who have seen me develop during my soccer career.”
As a player, Adam describes himself as a communicator on the pitch. “Playing in the backline, you need to be vocal and organize your team and I believe that a team that has good communication is more organized and will perform better together,” Adam revealed about his own play style and his sporting philosophy. He would continue to elaborate on his own style of play, and how he enjoys playing, saying, “I think that moving the ball around the backline is the best way to open up gaps to break lines and build forward rather than just playing kick and run to the forwards.”
It’s no surprise that with the knowledge of the sport in Michigan that Club Sporting Director Eric Rudland has Adam quickly impressed him, and Head Coach Rod Asllani. Rudland would say about the newest AFCAA signee, “Josh is a quality local addition. He has proven himself at Michigan State and in the Big Ten. We are looking forward to him joining us this season.” With high-pressure minutes under his belt in the defense, Adam provides valuable experience in managing a game even as just a freshman.
When asked about what he’s looking forward to this season, Adam said, “My hopes and expectations for this coming summer season are to gain knowledge and experience from playing with and against some older guys.” Adam is relishing the opportunity of learning from those with more footballing experience, as he notes, saying, “The older guys will challenge me and push me to become a better player.” Adam would also cheerfully add, “Lastly, of course, I'm looking forward to meeting the AFC Ann Arbor team!”
We are delighted to welcome Josh Adam to the AFCAA Family ahead of the 2022 season, and we look forward to welcoming him to Ann Arbor this summer.
About AFC Ann Arbor
Association Football Club Ann Arbor (AFC Ann Arbor) was founded in 2014 and competes in USL2 (men’s) and USLW (women’s) national amateur leagues. We are a community-based club, focused on equity, justice, and anti-racism. We consider all of our stakeholders, including supporters, players, staff, and ownership to be part of the #AFCAAFamily. Come On You Mighty Oak!