MUSKEGON - Stuart Collins' hometown of Cork, Ireland, is known for Gaelic games, such as Gaelic football and hurling, and Munster rugby.

Professional soccer is big, too, as Cork has produced world-famous names like former Manchester United captain Roy Keane and ManU legend Denis Irwin.

Cork is also known for something else, which plays into the Irish stereotype.

"Jameson Whiskey is another one," Collins said with a grin, referring to the Irish whiskey distillery that makes its home in Midleton, County Cork.

As for the 30-year-old Collins, he has a thirst for soccer. He was introduced to it at the age of 3 or 4, and he's been immersed in it since, first as a player and later as a coach.

Currently, Collins wears many hats in the sport: He captains the Muskegon Risers Soccer Club, he's an assistant coach for Davenport University and he's technical director of the Vardar West youth soccer club.

"We grew up with (soccer in Ireland), you know," he said.

Much like fans of Jameson whiskey in the U.S. thank Cork for the import, the Risers are grateful that Collins decided to move from the city in southern Ireland to West Michigan about nine years ago.

Collins was recruited to play soccer at Davenport (2010-2013), where he was a three-time all-league selection and holds records for games played, starts and minutes played. He has since remained with the Panthers' program as an assistant coach, and he helped them win an NAIA national championship in 2014.

This is Collins' third year with the Risers and his fifth season overall with the organization, as he plays for both the indoor and outdoor squads. The Risers slipped to 0-3 on the outdoor season with Friday night's 4-3, home-opening loss to Grand Rapids FC at Muskegon Catholic Central's Kehren Stadium.

Collins admits that it becomes increasingly difficult to stay in shape as he ages, but he has not left the field for the Risers this season, playing all 270 minutes. He stabilizes the team from his defensive mid position and he truly is a coach on the field.

"He brings a lot of leadership and a lot of experience," Risers head coach Ben Ritsema said. "You know, he's played over in Ireland -- he grew up in Ireland - and he's played high-level soccer over there. ... He's got just a crazy amount of knowledge of the game, especially to help some of the younger players and things like that."

As one of the older players on the Risers team and because of his experience level, Collins is a natural for his leadership position. On the flip side, he helps keep the mood light at times with his sometimes colorful vocabulary.

"He's got a great personality, he's got a great sense of humor. He's got a great accent," Ritsema said with a chuckle.

What he brings is "quality" - that's Collins' buzzword, according to Ritsema. Risers fans love their "Irish Stu," a friend of Risers team owner Matt Schmitt, who invited him to play in Muskegon.

Among the signs hanging from the home-side stands at Kehren Stadium Friday, May 25, 2018 was one for Muskegon Risers captain Stuart Collins, "Captain Collins."

Collins lives in Kentwood with his wife, Kelli, who is a Caledonia native. They do not have children yet, but they do have a dog named "Charlie," an almost 5-year-old male lab-pit mix.

When Davenport recruited Collins, it was during a time of recession in his country. He said he was looking for any excuse to get out of Ireland when it was on its economic downturn, and he wound up in West Michigan.

It's been an adjustment culturally, but Collins is making his home here now. Aside from his involvement with the Risers, most of his time is spent with his day jobs with Davenport and Vardar, which involves some travel. The rest of his time is spent with his wife, their dog and doing chores around the house and garden.

"Culture is obviously the biggest thing," Collins said about the differences between Ireland and the U.S., especially as they relate to soccer. "I think the day and age we're in is making it different also. Kids nowadays are on iPads and soccer is the type of thing, parents say, 'You've got to go practice and you've got to go to the games,' and I just don't think kids do it off their own accord as much.

"It's definitely happening a lot more now and the level in Michigan is super-high, but I would say in the British Isles, in Western Europe, in Eastern Europe, there's definitely a lot of kids that their way out is soccer. They're dedicated to it, playing all day. That's the biggest thing for me is culture, so trying to instill soccer culture in America is the big challenge, but it's coming."

CLICK HERE for the Muskegon Risers' 2018 outdoor schedule