Club History
In 1979 the Grafton Soccer Club was formed by a group of Grafton residents who were seeking to provide soccer playing opportunities within the community for the growing number of Grafton youth who were playing in soccer programs in other communities. The Grafton Soccer Club’s first meeting was held November 12, 1979. The founding members included Bob Hoffman, Bob Ellerbrock, Nicki Gerber, Rich Jackson, Harold Reynolds, Mary Schroeder, Tom Stoiber, and Gordon Tyriver.
At the time, soccer was gaining in popularity and GSC was seeking additional soccer fields to accommodate the growing number of kids playing. GSC players were primarily practicing on school fields while GSC worked to try to get additional land developed for recreational purposes. In October, 1981 the Grafton School District’s Board of Education agreed to draw up a lease with the Grafton Soccer Club for 12 acres of the district’s River Bend Road property, which was a 12 acre corn field of rolling hills.
Fundraising began to raise the $30,000 needed to develop the River Bend Road property into three soccer fields. In summer of 1984, Bob Hoffman approached Ralph Zaun of Grafton State Bank and the Zaun Memorial Foundation. Mr. Zaun was supportive and pledged $3500 per year for the next three years from the Zaun Memorial Foundation. That left approximately $18,000 to be raised. Mr. Zaun offered GSC an $18,000 loan in the form of a Business Note from Graton State Bank. 
When he was told that GSC had no collateral to pledge against a loan, Mr. Zaun suggested that if 12 individuals would co-sign as a loan guarantor, Grafton State Bank would loan GSC the money. Mr. Zaun also insisted on being the first co-signer, so only 11 others were needed. It did not take much time or effort to convince John Anderegg, Jack Chenery, Bob Ellerbrock, Ron Fischer, Tom Gulovich, Bob Hoffman, Terry Kranz, Dan Schroeder, Al Seemann, Lamar Senn, and Dennis Wiebe to be the remaining co-signers. Because of the financial commitment from Ralph Zaun, the soccer complex on River Bend Road was named Zaun Field. 
On August 3, 1984 a ground breaking ceremony was held to start the project. The excavating and landscaping was completed in the fall of 1984. Grass was planted and the fields were ready for play in August, 1986. The bank note was paid off and the seven year process of obtaining additional soccer fields in Grafton was concluded.GSC has remained a strong presence in the community over the past 30 years, with the focus still being on providing great soccer playing opportunities for kids.
This history is based on information provided to GSC by Bob Hoffman in February, 2011.
