FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – Statistically speaking, Kelyn Rowe had a pretty solid 2015.
The young midfielder’s seven goals and six assists were both good for second on the New England Revolution scoring charts, and those seven goals matched the career high he set in 2013.
But mention those stats to Rowe, and it’s clear that he’s far from satisfied.
“I’m one of my biggest critics and I think it wasn’t my best year,” Rowe said after factoring into 27 percent of the Revolution’s goals last season. “I think there’s a lot more I can do.”
Rowe’s ability is unquestioned; there’s a reason he rose through the U.S. National Team youth system at the Under-18, Under-20 and Under-23 levels, and was drafted third overall by the Revs in 2012.
Now, as the 24-year-old moves into his fifth professional season – graduating from the ranks of promising youngster to seasoned veteran – Rowe’s focus is on showing his ability on a more consistent basis.
“I think Kelyn is one of the most talented guys we have and, quite frankly, in the league with the things that he can do,” said Revs head coach Jay Heaps, who made Rowe his first-ever draft pick a little more than four years ago. “There’s so much to his game. We continue to preach to him about consistency and making sure that every game, he brings that level.
“That’s what we’ve seen in his progression. He’s getting more and more consistent, because the talent is never in question.”
Four separate times last year Rowe registered either a goal or an assist in back-to-back games, but he’s more concerned with the four- or five-game stints in which he didn’t get on the score sheet.
“It’s a lot about consistency,” Rowe said. “I keep that – seven goals, six assists, I think you said – can I get 10 goals and 10 assists? Can I get 12 and 12? Can I keep creating and being a big influence?
“For me, it’s about doing that every game instead of once every month or twice every month.”
The numbers Rowe mentioned weren’t offhand, either. Those are specific targets he’s set for himself for the 2016 season. But he also knows it takes smaller, incremental steps to reach those larger goals.
“I set numbers for myself because I’m a very goal-oriented person. I want to be able to shoot for something,” Rowe said. “You want to be a part of the team as much as you can, you want to help the team as much as possible, and that comes with points. It also comes with winning every tackle.
“Those mental games, those are the small goals. The 10 goals and 10 assists, or the 12 goals and 12 assists, numbers-wise, those are the longer goals.”
