AC Grand Rapids names pro soccer club's first head coach

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- AC Grand Rapids introduced its first head coach in club history on Thursday morning.

Erik Bushey spoke at a news conference at the David D. Hunting YMCA, which is adjacent to the Amway Stadium that is being constructed downtown along Winter Avenue, just west of the US-131 S-Curve.

"I look at this as, yes, maybe a tight-knit smaller community in the grand scheme of things," Bushey told WOOD-TV 8 during an interview. "But we expect to be a big club, and I'm happy to be a part of that."

Bushey brings more than 30 years of coaching and player-development experience to Grand Rapids.

The men's pro soccer team will begin its inaugural season in March 2027. Bushey had led the Colorado Rapids 2 club since the league’s inaugural 2022 season, earning 2023 Coach of the Year honors and guiding the team to the 2025 MLS NEXT Pro Cup final.

Here are more details from an AC Grand Rapids news release:

“We set out to find a coach who has won at this level, developed players for the next level and built cultures people want to be part of. Erik has done all three,” said AC Grand Rapids President Darrius Barnes. “He’s been one of the most successful coaches in MLS NEXT Pro since the league launched, and he’s spent more than three decades helping young players reach their potential. Importantly, he shares our belief that how we build this club matters as much as what we build, and his approach aligns perfectly with our club’s community-first vision.”

Since 2022, Bushey has built Rapids 2 into one of the league’s most consistent winners. His 2023 team finished atop the Frontier Division standings, earned the No. 1 overall playoff seed and led MLS NEXT Pro in scoring, earning him Coach of the Year honors. In 2025, he led Rapids 2 to the Western Conference championship, earning a berth in the MLS NEXT Pro Cup final, which the team lost in a penalty shootout. 

Bushey arrives in Grand Rapids with the second most wins in MLS NEXT Pro coaching history. He has also served as an assistant coach for the Rapids’ MLS First Team during preseason.

“It’s a rare opportunity to be the first head coach of a club and help shape its identity from day one,” said Bushey. “From my first conversations with Darrius and the rest of the club’s leadership team, it was clear we share a vision: build the culture first, develop people and players the right way, and compete to win every time we step on the field. When you add the ownership group’s commitment, Amway Stadium and how much this community already cares about this club, I couldn’t be more excited to get to work and help lead a team West Michigan is proud of.

Bushey will report to VP of Sporting Operations & Strategy B.J. Snow, and will lead the First Team, overseeing training, match preparation, player development and the First Team technical staff. He will serve as the primary steward of AC Grand Rapids’ playing identity and game model, working alongside Snow and Head of Scouting, Recruitment and Performance Analysis Eric Laurie to build the inaugural roster, while partnering with the club’s academy coaches and leadership to create a clear pathway for players in the region.

“Erik has won everywhere he’s coached, but what made him the right fit is how he wins,” said Snow. “He believes culture drives performance and that developing people is how you build winning teams. That’s exactly the foundation we want for this club. He’s coached at every level of the pathway, from youth clubs to the youth national teams to the professional ranks, and he understands how each piece connects. I’m excited to work alongside him as we build our roster and define how AC Grand Rapids plays.”

Before taking over Rapids 2, Bushey coached the Rapids Academy’s U-17 and U-19 teams from 2017 to 2021, earning U.S. Soccer Development Academy Central Conference Coach of the Year honors in 2017-18, and led the Rapids’ U-23 side to a 2018 USL PDL Mountain Division title. 

At the international level, he served as an assistant coach with the U.S. Under-17 and Under-23 Women’s National Teams, including at the 2016 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Jordan. 

Earlier, he spent 15 years as technical director of Colorado Rush Soccer Club, which produced  five national championship teams during his tenure. 

A native of Auburn, Washington, Bushey won an NAIA national championship as a player at Belhaven College in Jackson, Mississippi, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in business. He went on to play for and captain the Jackson Chargers and Spokane Shadow in the USISL. He holds a U.S. Soccer Federation “A” License and an Elite Formation Coaching License from the French Football Federation. 

Bushey credits his partner, Cami, and his three stepchildren, Connor, Rylie, and Alaina, for their critical support through his professional journey. He and Cami will relocate to West Michigan from the Denver area.

The hiring of Bushey marks a major milestone as AC Grand Rapids builds toward its inaugural MLS NEXT Pro season in 2027 and its inaugural home opener at Amway Stadium on March 19, 2027. 

For more information, season ticket deposits, team merchandise, and to keep up with AC Grand Rapids news, visit acgrandrapids.com. Follow the team on social media @ACGRSoccer.

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About Athletic Club Grand Rapids

AC Grand Rapids is West Michigan’s professional men’s soccer club in MLS NEXT Pro, launching with a mission to elevate the sport, develop homegrown talent, and create remarkable matchday experiences. Our project is backed by local leadership and a new downtown stadium—bringing the pro game to the riverfront. Visit acgrandrapids.com .

 

About MLS NEXT Pro

Launched in 2022 by Major League Soccer, MLS NEXT Pro is a professional men’s soccer league in the United States and Canada that completes the pro player pathway from MLS NEXT to MLS first teams. MLS NEXT Pro continues to grow the game through innovation and access, bringing professional soccer to new communities and creating opportunities both on and off the field. MLS NEXT Pro celebrates its fifth season in 2026 with 30 teams, 27 MLS-affiliated and three independent, Carolina Core FC, Chattanooga FC and Connecticut United FC. Additional MLS-affiliated and independent clubs will join in the years ahead, including Forest City Cleveland, Jacksonville Armada FC, AC Grand Rapids and The Island FC. For more information about MLS NEXT Pro, visit mlsnextpro.com .