One of Cleveland United’s most decorated alumni has played at the game’s highest levels and now looks forward to a new journey in life.

Playing for Cleveland United provided goalkeeper Andrian McAdams opportunities in sport and in life.  Today those opportunities have taken him in a different direction, but not before an incredible journey within the beautiful game.

The journey began with Cleveland United at a time when McAdams needed them the most. 

“My time with Cleveland United gave me the drive and desire to go as far as I could in the sport.  At that age the game was really just about having fun, but it was also I time when I was developing physically and mentally at a fast rate so my time at Cleveland United gave me a foundation and a base for the player I ultimately became.”

McAdams was quick to credit two special people at the club, coaches that make an impact on careers and lives on a regular basis. 

“I can't speak highly enough of Joe Raduka.  He was my primary coach during that time and I think he was the best role model a young player could have.  He had an amazing professional career, but his personality was also perfect for working with kids.  Joe was someone you aspired to emulate as a player, while also letting you have a lot of fun and enjoy the game.  My keeper coach at the time, Vlado Hrelja, was also someone who influenced me a lot and definitely shaped the type of keeper I became.  I think the combination of those two guys really helped me develop and drove me to get to the next level.”

The next level included time with Premier Soccer Academies, a program started by English Premier League goalkeeper and Lakewood native Brad Friedel.

“Playing for PSA was an experience that I don't think many kids in the United States, besides maybe those who reside at IMG with the youth National Team, ever get.  For a kid who was focused entirely on playing professional soccer and becoming the best that I could in my sport, it was the perfect environment.  I was exposed to a very high level of play and spent my days learning from some of the best coaches I've ever had the pleasure of working with.  My teammates, many of whom I'm still in contact and close with, all had the same attitude and intense work ethic as me, so it created a competitive but very close bond between us.”

McAdams would also get an opportunity to move on to the Columbus Crew.

“When we partnered with the Crew, it was another blessing because it allowed me to implement what I had been learning with PSA in a game situation.  The coaches and facilities were great and even when PSA ended, I continued to learn from the Crew organization and they ultimately put me in a position to attend one of the top soccer schools in the nation, Akron.”

McAdams would then be recruited by Caleb Porter to the University of Akron as part of an incredible class, one that included future MLS stars in Darren Mattocks and Perry Kitchen.  His time back in Northeast Ohio was special as the Zips reached the pinnacle of the collegiate game.  Playing at UA was an obvious and easy decision.   

“Choosing to play at Akron was really a no-brainer honestly.  It was one of several schools I was considering, but once I took my official visit to Akron, I knew it was the place I wanted to be.  I think I committed the next day.  The combination of the family atmosphere that the team created and the intensity and level of play were exactly what I was looking for.  It was an honor to be part of that program for three years and I learned so much about the game during that time.”  

Playing for Porter, now the head coach of MLS side Portland Timbers, represented a great moment in McAdams’ career.

“Other than winning the National Championship my freshman year, my best memories were playing the game the right way with some of the best players in the nation.  Our style of play and mentality was an attempt to emulate some of the best teams in the world and while it didn't fit the traditional college mold, I think it was clearly a glaring success.  It was fun to play that way and I was constantly learning from my teammates and coaches.”  

McAdams didn’t end his collegiate career at Akron as an opportunity to head down to Ohio State presented itself.  The chance to become a Buckeye was not something that he could pass on.

“Playing at Ohio State was great because the school has a long standing culture of success in athletics.  It was fun to be part of a team and a school that demanded excellence and expected us to perform on and off the field.  I was lucky enough to meet some very cool people and the team welcomed me with open arms when I transferred from Akron.  While transferring wasn't an easy decision, I now know that it was the right one and my last two years at OSU were a blessing.”

McAdams, who was joined at OSU by fellow Cleveland United alumnus Alex Ivanov, enjoyed his time in the Big Ten Conference.  He was certainly up for the challenge.  

 “The Big Ten has always been one of the most difficult conferences to compete in.  It seems like every week you're playing another top ranked team with aspirations of winning the conference and making a deep run into the playoffs.  That conference is great because the conference title really is up for grabs every year and every single point counts.

McAdams also found time to compete in the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) with AFC Cleveland.  He found it to be a positive experience, much like his time in youth and college soccer.  

“I think leagues like the NPSL or PDL are really going to take off in the next couple of years.  They're a great place for young players to get some experience before trying to make it in the MLS or go overseas.”

It’s very clear that none of these opportunities would have been possible without the great foundation provided by Cleveland United and its staff.   It’s also easy to figure out that McAdams, the son of two Oberlin College professors, is an incredibly talented young man with unlimited potential.  He is just good at everything he puts his mind to.   Even though he could have easily played or coached at a professional level, he has decided to go in an entirely different direction.

“Moving forward I've decided follow my newfound passion, public health.  I contemplated continuing to play when I finished the season last fall, but ultimately decided that it would be a better long-term investment if I got a jump start on and pursued a career in public health and health policy.” 

He needed a bit of time away from the game to figure out a new path in life.  This new passion and new direction would take him all the way to China. 

“Studying abroad in China was a great experience and really opened my eyes to public health problems outside of the United States.  There was a lot of culture shock and it definitely took some time to adjust after I arrived, but I felt that by the end I had gotten somewhat comfortable and was starting to really enjoy the trip.”

This journey was not about soccer or anything of the sort, rather it was about improving the health of the public.  Simply put, it is making a big difference in peoples’ lives and he learned a lot from his time in the world’s most populous country.  

“I think one of the biggest takeaways from the trip was how economic growth can often come at the expense of public health.  I think that over the next several decades we'll see a lot of the health problems they've been ignoring come back to haunt them.  It should be a lesson to the rest of the world that while the short-term gains are significant, the long-term negative ramifications can be even greater.”  

McAdams is now headed to graduate school with a goal of earning a Master’s Degree in Public Health.  He is looking to move to a large city and effect positive health changes in a major way.   

He is already make a difference with a refugee organization in Columbus called Us Together.  It has been extremely rewarding and he hopes to work with them again moving forward.

Making a difference on the field was something Andrian McAdams always did, but his life has become about something more, making a difference in the lives of others.  

Photo Credit: Brent Durken