NFL
By Keith Richards
On October 1st, expansion MLS NEXT Pro club AC Grand Rapids introduced Erik Bushey as its inaugural head coach. After signing a new contract with Rapids 2, the move surprised no one. After signing the new contract, Bushey said, “I’m incredibly grateful to the club for its continued support and truly value the opportunity to lead this program and team.” I think Coach Bushey fully intended to move forward with Rapids 2; some opportunities are too great to pass up.
Now that Erik Bushey is moving east, what legacy will he leave in Colorado for football’s growth? Is it something he can be proud of? Can future Colorado youth football coaches look to Bushey as an example? What excites Erik so much about Grand Rapids that they could lure him away from Colorado? This week, Matt Pollard of Burgundy Wave, Matt Wickham (my fellow R2P2 co-host), and I had one last interview with Coach Bushey and answered some of those questions.
The Colorado Legacy of Erik Bushey
Covering Rapids 2 and the Rapids, I was there for what we now know was Erik Bushey’s last match as head coach. Bushey is always reflective and thoughtful after matches. That night felt a little different. I asked Coach Bushey if he knew then that it was the last match he would coach for the Colorado Rapids 2. Erik states, “For sure, there were wheels in motion, or some minimally there would have been some uncertainty there. You know, I have been open and transparent with the club throughout the process, and quite frankly, had not been looking.”
The opportunity with AC Grand Rapids sort of just fell into his lap. The more he explored the opportunity, the better it felt. By the time of the press conference after the last Rapids 2 match, Bushey could really leave. He finishes, “So yes, in those moments, you know, it’s 10 years; it’s Rapids. It’s five years. It’s Rapids 2, and a lot of things are going to be swelling. You know, and at that point, it’s also the end of a long season and a difficult season. So, there’s always going to be motion. I think at the end of the year, whether you’re moving on, you’re putting, but there’s no doubt there’s thought of moving was going to weigh into my reflection in that moment.”
After taking Rapids 2 to the MLS NEXT Pro Championship match in 2025, some wondered whether Erik could be considered to replace Chris Armas. While he didn’t receive the call in 2025, Bushey was the 2023 MLS NEXT Pro Coach of the Year. Bushey says no one approached him about taking the reins as first-team head coach. No one asked him to join the staff.
Matt Wick asked if he would have been interested if approached. Coach Bushey states, “Well, I’m always going to be interested. Yes, you know, I think like any of us, the chance to push our career to new levels, yes, I’m going to want that. I’m just talking about taking the risk and moving and taking this [the AC Grand Rapids] job. So, risk is going to be being a part of that.”
Erik Bushey finishes, “What I know is that I’ve coached. I love being on the field, I love all that comes with it, and it is different being a head coach than being an assistant coach. So, getting into the first-team staff or a first-team staff, as much as I want to advance my career, is not a slam dunk. So, the coach, if it was going to be an assistant position, then yes, I want to be able to coach, and I want to have a voice. Otherwise, my preference would be to be a head coach because where there’s value in learning, and there’s value in being in a different position, the value I find in leading a team and a program and coaching on the weekend, every week, there’s nothing like that.”
While his career may be advancing in Colorado, Bushey leaves a strong legacy. Erik has played a key role in developing and growing youth football in Colorado for 25 years. He’s coached players like Li He’sHeaps, Oli Larraz, Cole Bassett, and Darren Yapi. I asked Coach a difficult question. What legacy does he feel he leaves with Colorado football?
Erik states, “Wow, that’s a difficult question. I’ve thought about myself in Terms of legacy. To be honest with you, a couple of people have come up and said, or responded, saying, ‘You know, thank you for your work’in your time in Colorado…. Those kinds of comments are really humbling.’” For Erik, it’s rarely about him; when asked, he admits there were great players before him. For Coach Bushey, his legacy is the relationships he’s built over the years.
Bushey said, “I had coffee two mornings ago with Jordan Angeli. You talk about a top-quality individual, one of the best people you’ll ever meet. I am forever grateful for your interaction. Coaching is what allowed me to have that interaction. So, I don’t know if relationships are a legacy; I hope that’s a part of it.”
Erik shows his humility in how he answers that question. Without question, Bushey’s imprint on Colorado football leaves a lasting impression. In his 25 years in Colorado football, Coach Bushey has helped develop more than 40 players who reached the national team. In addition, more than 20 players Bushey coached went on to professional careers. Indeed, filling Erik Bushey’s shoes will be tough. However, Bushey’s time with the team has ended. Now, Bushey moves on to AC Grand Rapids, and he is excited about it.
What Excites Erik Bushey About AC Grand Rapids
Coaching for AC Grand Rapids will not be like coaching for Colorado Rapids 2. Rapids 2 has the might of an established MLS club to fall back on. AC Grand Rapids does not. They are one of the many new independent clubs in MLS Next Pro. So, in reality, Erik is basically helping to build Grand Rapids from the foundation up. That can be daunting. However, Bushey is not sweating it.
While he recognizes it will be challenging, Coach knows he has the support of a strong ownership group. Football is also present in Western Michigan. Speaking about the local football scene and its academies, Erik states, “There’s two clubs that are basically right in our back. There’s one is Midwest United, and one is Michigan Football Academy, which is housed under Michigan Sports Academies, MSA and MFA. We also own those. So, that’s actually a for-profit club that is the academy that will be AC Grand Rapids.”
Erik says he’s seen some of the older academy players and believes he has talent. They have high expectations to develop the academy. While AC Grand Rapids does want to show as much local love as possible, they are looking at all clubs to build the team. As of Thursday, they had some verbal agreements, but no signed players. Building the team will require tapping into every available resource. That means scouting the MLS system and USL Championship.
Much of what Erik Bushey was asked to do with Rapids 2 reflected the first-team system. So, how much of the Erik Bushey system have we seen over his five years coaching Rapids 2? Matt Pollard of Burgundy Wave asked that exact question. Over those five years, the first team had three coaches: Robin Fraser, Chris Armas, and Matt Wells. By his own estimate, Bushey believes 2023 is the closest he’s come to putting his product on the pitch.
He states, “What we did in 23 is a big part of who I am. The detail that I was around this year is going to help me add to that. Yes, ultra-aggressive. Yes, high-pressing, high-energy, and a full-team commitment. That is taking away from all my years, not just the last five.”
Another selling point for Bushey joining AC Grand Rapids was the Andals and DeVos ownership group. They already have a strong presence in Western Michigan, and Erik Bushey wants to expand it. The ownership group has teams all over Western Michigan and the United States. Those teams include the Denver Nuggets G League team, the Detroit Red Wings AHL team, FC Cincinnati, Orlando City, the Orlando Magic, and the Tampa Bay Lightning. One of the biggest selling points, however, is a brand-new stadium.
AC Grand Rapids will have its home opener on March 19, 2027. Amway Stadium will seat 8,500 fans, not including the suites. It looks to be one of the crown jewels in a boom of development for MLS NEXT Pro and USL clubs. All that remains is building the team that will fill the seats. Erik Bushey confirmed that player contracts will be competitive with USL teams.
One way they plan to compete is by offering housing as part of players’ contracts. “It’s about what we do with what we have,” Bushey states. They will not be able to match MLS’s salary figures, but Erik believes they will have enough capacity to attract players. Not just the financial side. AC Grand Rapids wants to take care of players as best as they can…as long as they believe in the project.
Erik Bushey made one thing clear when we spoke with him: “I believe in the environment they will create.” With his 25-year track record in Colorado football, AC Grand Rapids is in great hands. Erik is a class coach, individual, and leader. Colorado will miss him dearly. However, we wish him the best in Michigan.
