West Michigan native joins AC Grand Rapids as Head of Scouting, Recruitment and Performance Analysis after four and a half years with the USMNT, including two FIFA World Cups
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Athletic Club Grand Rapids today announced the hire of Eric Laurie as Head of Scouting, Recruitment and Performance Analysis. Laurie began his role on August 3, joining the MLS NEXT Pro expansion club as it builds toward its 2027 inaugural season at the new Amway Stadium. A native of West Michigan, Laurie spent over four years with the U.S. Men’s National Team technical staff and a decade abroad.
“Eric brings a rare combination of international experience at the highest level and a genuine understanding of the West Michigan community,” said AC Grand Rapids President Darrius Barnes. “He’s built a reputation as one of the most trusted talent evaluators in the game, with an eye for identifying high potential players. He made it clear from our first conversation how much the opportunity to build this team in his home community meant to him. That kind of commitment, paired with his outstanding international and national track record, is exactly what we need as we build our roster.”
Laurie joins AC Grand Rapids fresh off the 2026 FIFA World Cup and his most recent position as Player Pathway Scout with the U.S. Men’s National Team. His international résumé includes the 2022 and 2026 World Cups, back-to-back Concacaf Nations League titles in 2023 and 2024, the 2023 and 2025 Gold Cups, the 2024 Copa América and the 2024 Olympics.
“Being from West Michigan and having experience working at a club that meant so much to the community while in Norway, I know what it could mean to bring a team like this to West Michigan and the potential impact it could have. I’ve seen firsthand what it looks like when an entire community shows support for a club. I share the ACGR leadership team’s ambition to build a winning team and give this community something to be proud of. That’s what drew me to this opportunity.” — Eric Laurie
In the role, Laurie will report to VP of Sporting Operations & Strategy B.J. Snow and work closely with Barnes and the club’s sporting department to build AC Grand Rapids’ scouting and recruitment infrastructure—from departmental staffing and evaluation processes to a domestic and international scouting network. He’ll oversee the full arc of player acquisition, while also leading the club’s performance analysis operation, including opposition scouting and video and data support for the First Team’s preparation and player development.
“Eric’s résumé speaks for itself, but what stood out to me is how he thinks about the game. He built an academy analysis department from scratch in Norway, and he’s spent the last four and a half years contributing to one of the most demanding scouting operations in the sport with the national team. He understands that recruitment isn’t just about finding talented players, it’s about finding the right players for this club and this community. I’m glad to have him alongside me as we put that infrastructure in place.” — B.J. Snow
Laurie will lead the club’s approach to identifying and acquiring talent. In his words, that work starts well before any names get attached to a roster. He and the club’s sporting staff will first define AC Grand Rapids’ style of play and identity, then use that framework to guide recruitment, prioritizing not just the most talented available players, but those suited to the community and the vision for the club. He will use data and an extensive scouting network to filter and identify targets drawn from a global pool, including college soccer, current professionals, and markets across the U.S., Europe, South America and Africa.
His path to the U.S. Men’s National Team ran through Norway, where he lived for a decade. Laurie earned a Master of Science in Football Management from Molde University College in 2016 and spent nearly eight years with Molde FK, building the club’s academy performance analysis department from scratch, coaching youth teams and assisting the First Team’s analysis staff. During that stretch, he also led Norwegian amateur side Gossen Idrettslag to a league title and promotion in his lone season as head coach, and coached regional youth teams for the Norwegian Football Federation.
Laurie is a graduate of Hastings High School and Western Michigan University, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration. He got his start in coaching as an assistant men’s soccer coach and scout at Grace Christian University in Grand Rapids before his path took him to Norway. He and his wife, who is Norwegian, met while she was an exchange student at Hastings High School. The couple has since returned to West Michigan, where they live in Walker with their two children.
