Just to be clear, it wasn't fate that brought New Zeeland native Scott Doney to GRFC.
It was love.
"We have been dating since freshman year," said Doney, a forward on the team. "It's been a great time. Every summer I got to hang out with her and play football as well. It's been a win-win situation."
Doney first came to Grand Rapids in the summer of 2015. Four years later, both relationships are going strong. The 24-year-old has become a leader on GRFC and is, in fact, the club's all-time leading goal scorer.
"It means a lot for me," he said. "When college is finished, it's hard to keep to playing and it means even more to me to come out playing every Saturday night and enjoy every game."
Doney now resides in Grand Rapids full-time. He's a grad student at Aquinas College and, recently, he got a job as an assistant coach with the women's team. His boss? Current GRFC head coach Lewis Robinson.
"He is such a hard worker," said Robinson. "He understands the grind. That's what I'd say to any young player we have at Aquinas or even GRFC. He's not afraid of hard work and he'll always work harder than the next guy."
Despite loving life in Grand Rapids, Doney knows his time could be limited since he's here on a student visa. However, if it were up to him, he'd keep things exactly the way they are.
"I'll stay and play for GRFC as long as I can or until I'm too old to get on the field anymore," he jokes.
His future is a bit uncertain but his love for this team and this city is not.
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