Athletic Club Grand Rapids (AC Grand Rapids) today announced the hiring of B.J. Snow as Vice President of Sporting Operations & Strategy. This is a key hire for the MLS NEXT Pro expansion club, which will begin play in 2027 at the new Amway Stadium on Grand Rapids’ west side.
"B.J. will be my right hand in building the sporting side of our club," said AC Grand Rapids President/General Manager Darrius Barnes. "This role sits at the intersection of strategy and execution. It requires someone who deeply understands the game, can build systems and standards from scratch, and can align people across every corner of the organization. That's B.J."
Snow, a native of Kalamazoo, will work closely with Barnes in overseeing all aspects of sporting operations, including strategic approach, playing philosophy, scouting and recruitment, performance analysis, team operations, and player development.
“I’m incredibly excited to join AC Grand Rapids and be part of building something special,” Snow said. “I’ve always believed that great environments are built by developing people. That applies to players, coaches, and staff. AC Grand Rapids has a unique opportunity to create a culture where individuals are challenged, supported, and empowered to grow, and I’m excited to help build that from day one.”
Snow brings a career defined by winning at the highest levels of the game. As a member of the U.S. Women's National Team coaching staff, he was part of back-to-back FIFA World Cup championship teams in 2015 and 2019, serving as assistant coach and leading player recruitment and opposition analysis for both tournaments. He also served as the first-ever head of talent identification and development for the Women's National Team, building the scouting networks, analytic models, and evaluation benchmarks that shaped the program's next generation of players. As head coach of the U.S. Under-23 and Under-17 Women's National Teams, Snow compiled an undefeated international record with the U-23s and led the U-17s through a three-and-a-half-year unbeaten streak. Before his national team tenure, Snow served as head coach of the UCLA women’s team.
As a player, Snow starred for Portage Central High School before going on to become a four-year starter at Indiana University, where he won two NCAA championships.
Most recently, as CEO of Snow Tarpley Strategies, Snow worked with his wife, two-time Olympic gold medalist Lindsay Tarpley, to help high-growth companies and sports organizations build the cross-functional frameworks and talent systems he will now bring to AC Grand Rapids. He holds a U.S. Soccer Federation "A" License and a business degree from Indiana's Kelley School of Business.
The role Snow is stepping into is wide-ranging. He will help define and steward the club's playing philosophy and technical identity, translating it into clear expectations for players and staff at every level. He will lead the club's scouting and recruitment infrastructure, building the tools, databases, and evaluation frameworks that will drive roster decisions while also serving as a key connector between the coaching staff, front office, and other club departments.
Player development will be central to Snow’s mandate, including formalizing AC Grand Rapids' partnership with Michigan Futbol Academy to create an integrated development pathway for players in the region.
"We are building this club the right way, from the ground up, and B.J. will be instrumental in setting the standards that define who we are on the pitch," said Barnes. "I have full confidence in his ability to build the frameworks this organization needs to compete and develop, both in year one and for years to come."
With its leadership structure continuing to take shape, AC Grand Rapids moves closer to its 2027 inaugural season. Additional hires are expected in the coming months as the club accelerates its community engagement efforts and prepares for the launch of its season ticket member deposit campaign in the coming weeks.
