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Michaela "Mouse" Kovacs, right, playing with the U.S, women's national U20 team.

(Aaron Heifetz, Press Officer | U.S. Women's National Soccer Teams)

Michaela "Mouse" Kovacs practiced with the Grand Rapids Football Club's men's team plenty of times last summer, but being the first to sign with the fledgling women's team brings a new different level of commitment.

The former standout at Hudsonville High School and current sophomore at Michigan State is willing to bet her name that there are other women's soccer players in the area as well as strong enough overall interest from the Grand Rapids soccer community to make the new amateur city team viable.

"It's a great way to bring positive women role models to younger kids in the area," Kovacs said. "I know, with the men's team, you see kids and young boys trying to get autographs after the games. I think there is a lot of reward (by playing) and reward from the community aspect of it as well."

The first-year program, which plays in the summer and hopes to glean off the success of the men's program, has certainly attracted one of the highest profile women's players in the area.

Kovacs, 19, has started every game her first two seasons at Michigan State, playing midfielder and defender. In 2015, she represented the U.S. national team at the U19 level.

In high school, she was an all-state selection at Hudsonville and played club for Grand Rapids Crew Juniors. That team reached the U20 national championship in 2013 under coach Lewis Robinson.

Coincidentally, Robinson will be the first-year coach of GRFC women.

"She is a fantastic player, great leader, and one of the best female players to come out of West Michigan," Robinson said. "She has great experience with the U19 women's national team, is a standout with MSU in the Big 10, and always wants to compete and improve her game."

Last summer, Kovacs spent free time training with the GRFC men's team. Once ownership decided to expand to a women's team, Kovacs was asked about her level of interest as a way of training in the summer. It didn't take long to decide.

"It's important to me because I really want us to get the best and most talented players," Kovacs said. "I know with my record of accomplishments that it puts it out there to the community that we're definitely going to have a strong team with strong women players that hopefully will bring success."

She knows there's interest from others, and will do her part of generate interest.

"Hopefully we'll get some of the best players (from Michigan State) because I would love to be playing with some of my teammates this summer," she said. "But just everywhere, I think as word starts to spread there will be more interest.'

Team owner Matt Roberts said 16 players have committed to the women's team, with their names released in the coming months.