John Tolkin: One Year Later
It’s been almost a year to the day since we caught up with RBNY fullback John Tolkin. Back then, JMi was still finding his footing in MLS, despite a considerable string of starts (and goals) with his hometown club. While he’d shown the potential already, his dream of playing for the US National Team still seemed like a titanic endeavor for the youngster. But one year can make all the difference. JMi solidified his spot as a starter for the Red Bulls, and his fantastic 2022 season earned him a call up for the January USMNT camp in LA. We were in town for the matches against Serbia and Colombia, and we couldn’t think of a better time to catch up.
“It’s crazy that it’s been a full year,” he says. “Time really does fly. It feels like it’s taken a while, but when I look back, it’s all happened so quickly.”
JMi had closed out the 2021 season with almost two dozen starts and a playoff appearance with the Red Bulls, and 2022 saw him top those achievements. He made 31 starts for the club, and he helped secure a home playoff game for the Red Bulls for the first time since 2018.
“It was great to be able to get that home playoff game, and the team was really clicking. Unfortunately, things didn’t go our way against Cincinnati, but sometimes those experiences fuel you for the coming season, so now it’s all about seeing how we bounce back.”
The early exit in the playoffs, coupled with an extended offseason due to the World Cup, gave JMi the chance to continue training and preparing for whatever lay ahead.
“My agent had been hinting at the fact that I could have a shot at the National Team because they were looking to bring in a lot of new faces for the January camp. In the back of my mind, I knew it could actually be a possibility, so I was eager to stay prepared.”
Then, the long-awaited email arrived.
“I got an email from the USMNT coordinator saying congratulations and that I had been called up. It was an amazing feeling, but even now, it still doesn’t feel real. It hasn’t hit me yet that I got called up and even played.”
Settling into the squad wasn’t too difficult for JMi, as the group was ready to embrace new blood.
“It wasn’t the usual roster this time around, obviously, but there were still some veteran guys there who made the experience smooth for all of us young guys. They shared tips and little nuances to keep in mind when being on the senior team, which is huge for us newcomers.”
The classic initiation rituals took center stage too, especially since there were 13 new faces to welcome.
“The ritual that’s always done is pairing you up with another newcomer and have you sing a duet. I was paired up with Aidan Morris from Columbus Crew, and we were gonna sing Follow Me by Uncle Kracker. There were so many of us, though, that we didn’t have time to do our song.”
He admits to have been relieved when he didn’t have to show his vocal chops, but on the training ground, JMi and the rest of the newcomers got their chance to measure up their real chops against other standouts from around the country.
“It felt great, honestly. There were so many new players that everyone was just hungry to show what they had to offer. Everyone’s trying to get their foot in the door, so it’s super competitive, but in an awesome way.”
JMi impressed during training and finally got his first start with the National Team against Colombia.
“I walked onto the field right behind Aaron [Long] – one of my old teammates – and then we lined up for the national anthem. I just remember thinking, ‘Oh damn this is crazy… really really crazy.’ When the national anthem started, it was like a feeling I’d never really felt before. I almost wanted to cry. You watch the national team on TV when you’re a little kid, and you always wish someday it could be you. You never really think you can do it, and then it’s happening.”
The match would ultimately finish in a 0-0 draw, but it’s one that JMi certainly won’t forget.
“Hopefully twenty years from now I’ll be able to tell my kids about this moment,” he says. “The game is still a blur, but there’s a lot to take from the experience. I’ll definitely tell them that whatever they set their mind to, they can achieve it. It took twenty years of my life to make it to this moment, but the work one puts in, little by little, will always add up to something big.”
It’s always a special moment for a player to represent their country for the first time, and hopefully it’ll be one of many caps for the young Red Bulls defender. Much like the first time we spoke with JMi, he’s still got big goals on his mind.
“My target is 2026. I want to be on that World Cup squad. Hopefully, I’ll be playing for a good European side as well. That might seem crazy now, but a few years ago I never thought I’d even play one game for the US – and now I was just able to get my first cap. I can make it happen.”
