The Gulf Coast Premier League (GCPL) is a United States Adult Soccer Association affiliated Amateur Elite League that includes teams from Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, and Mississippi. The regular season of the GCPL runs May through July. On August 13, 2020, it was announced that the GCPL would be the first "amateur league affiliation" of the National Independent Soccer Association[1] after Gaffa FC and Louisiana Krewe FC competed in the NISA 2020 Independent Cup.
 | |
| Founded | 2014 |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| Confederation | CONCACAF |
| Number of teams | 20 Clubs, with some clubs fielding teams in multiple leagues. |
| Domestic cup(s) | Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup |
| Current champions | Alabama FC South (1) (2024) |
| Most championships | Motagua New Orleans (3) |
| Website | gcplsoccer |
| Current: 2024 GCPL season | |
Louisiana Premier League
editThe Louisiana Premier League was formed in 2014 by the Louisiana Soccer Association's Adult Committee members, Jonathan Rednour and Chad Vidrine, with the assistance of Pool Boys FC founder, Jeremy Poklemba. The recent success of a similar formatted competition,[2] administered by the LSA, in the spring of 2014 and the emergence of newly formed clubs, Pool Boys FC and Cajun Soccer Club, along with the interest from Motagua New Orleans from the ISLANO league, offered an opportunity to create a statewide elite amateur league. Motagua New Orleans won the inaugural season, defeating Cajun Soccer Club in the finals, 4–2.
On March 8, 2016, the Louisiana Premier League was granted Elite Amateur League status by the United States Adult Soccer Association.[3]
Gulf Coast Premier League
editOn August 1, 2016, the Louisiana Premier League, sanctioned and operated by the Louisiana Soccer Association, folded to make way for the newly formed Gulf Coast Premier League. The league formed as a non-profit organization expanding itself to clubs outside Louisiana along the gulf coast.[4]
In January 2017 the league announced three expansion teams, expanding the league footprint into Alabama and Florida.[5] Central Texas Lobos FC were also announced as a future member in June 2017.
The Gulf Coast Premier League organization currently operates three separate leagues - Premier League, League Two, and the Women's League. Each league is split into conferences for schedule balance, and to manage travel expenses.
Developmental League
editA 4-team developmental league called the Gulf Coast Development League (GCDL) was announced and began play in May 2019.
2020 Fall Tournament Showcase
editThe League announced it would cancel its 2020 regular season due to the coronavirus epidemic but left open the possibility of a fall competition.[6] In October 2020 the League announced the Fall Tournament Showcase featuring five teams: Pool Boys FC, Louisiana Krewe FC, Crescent City FC, Mobile United FC and new addition 14th Ward FC.[7]
Great Plains Premier League
editIn 2019, the GCPL announced the creation of the Great Plains Premier League (GPPL), an expansion conference/sister league with teams to be based in the Dakotas, Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas or Missouri. The GPPL was set to begin play in 2020 however the COVID-19 pandemic halted plans. Nebraska Bugeaters FC, was their only announced club.[8][9]
Teams
edit| Club | City | Stadium | Founded | Inaugural season |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AFC Mobile - Premier | Mobile, Alabama | Dotson Field | 2017 | 2017 (returned 2024) |
| Alabama FC South - Premier, League Two | Montgomery, Alabama | Emory Folmar YMCA Championship Stadium | 2024 | |
| ASG-Lions - League Two | Tallahassee, Florida | 2024 | ||
| BRSC Capitals - Premier, Women's | Baton Rouge, Louisiana | Olympia Stadium | 2016 | 2017 |
| Cajun Rush - Women's | Lafayette, Louisiana | LUS Fiber Stadium | 2014 | 2014 |
| Central Louisiana FC (known as Alexandria Pool Boys FC until 2023) - Premier, League Two | Alexandria, Louisiana | Wildcat Field at Louisiana Christian University | 2013 | 2014 |
| Florida Roots - Premier, League Two, Women's | Panama City, Florida | Fort Walton Beach High School | 2020 | 2023 |
| Gaffa FC - Premier | Jackson, Mississippi | Freedom Ridge Park | 2016 | 2017 |
| Gulf Coast United - Premier, Women's | Gulfport, Mississippi | Herbert Wilson Stadium | 2003 | 2021 |
| Hattiesburg FC - Women's | Hattiesburg, Mississippi | 2003 | 2019 | |
| Louisiana Krewe II - Premier | Lafayette, Louisiana | LUS Fiber Field | 2013 | 2014 |
| Mississippi Blues SC - League Two, Women's | Clinton, Mississippi | Freedom Ridge Park Stadium | 2018 | |
| Northtown Bravos - League Two | Bossier City, Louisiana | 2023 | 2024 | |
| Pensacola Bay United - Premier | Pensacola, Florida | Ashton Brosnaham Stadium | 2022 | 2023 |
| Pensacola FC - (U19) League Two, Women's | Pensacola, Florida | Ashton Brosnaham Stadium | 2017 | 2017 |
| Shreveport United - Premier, Women's | Shreveport, Louisiana | Cargill Park | 2016 | 2018 |
| Southern States FC II - Premier | Hattiesburg, Mississippi | The Oakes Training Center | 2015 | 2023 |
| Sowegans SC - Premier | Albany, Georgia | Lee County Track and Soccer Complex | 2022 | 2023 |
| Union 10 FC - Premier, Women's | Daphne, Alabama | Al Trione Complex | 2022 | 2023 |
Former Teams
edit- Aspire FC II (Pineville, LA) (2023)
- BOCA FC (Shreveport, AL) (2015–2019)
- Crescent City FC (New Orleans, LA) (2021–2023, on hiatus)
- Central Texas Lobos FC (Buda, TX) (2018–2023, moved to USL League Two as Hill Country Lobos)
- Gulf Coast Rangers FC (Fairhope, AL) (2017–2023, merged with Mobile United FC to form Union 10 FC.
- Lake City Gamblers (Lake Charles, LA) (2014–2017)
- Louisiana Fire (New Orleans, LA) (2016–2017)
- Louisiana Krewe FC (Lafayette, LA) (2018–2021, moved to USL League Two)
- Mobile United FC (Mobile, AL) (2021–2022, merged with Gulf Coast Rangers FC to form Union 10 FC.
- Motagua New Orleans (New Orleans, LA) (2014–2019)
- FC New Orleans (New Orleans, LA) (2019)
- New Orleans United (New Orleans, LA) (2021)
- Northshore United (Covington, LA) (2017–2021)
- Nicholls State University Club (Thibodaux, LA) (2014–2015)
- Mississippi Blues FC (Jackson, MS) (2018–2020)
- Port City FC (Gulfport, MS) (2016–2019, moved to National Premier Soccer League)
- Rad FC (Destin, FL) (2023)
- Real United Riverhawks FC (Moss Point, LA) (2018)
- Red River FC (Minden, LA) (2021)
- Shreveport Rafters FC B (Shreveport, LA) (2016–2017)
- Tallahassee SC (Tallahassee, FL) (2019, moved to National Premier Soccer League)
Seasons
edit| Season | Winner | Runner-up | Highest goalscorer | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014–15 | Motagua New Orleans | Cajun Soccer Club | Steven Morris (Motagua New Orleans) | 12 |
| 2015–16 | Motagua New Orleans | Boca Knights FC | Joel Amos (Lake City Gamblers)
Leonardo Ferriera de Barros (Motagua New Orleans) |
6 |
| 2016–17 | Motagua New Orleans | Shreveport Rafters FC B | Reece Wilson (Motagua New Orleans) | 18 |
| 2017 | Gaffa FC | Cajun Soccer Club | Vasbert Ledger (Cajun Soccer Club) | 9 |
| 2018 | Port City FC | Cajun Soccer Club | Quesi Weston (BOCA FC) | 16 |
| 2019 | FC New Orleans | Northshore United | Roger Llergo (FC New Orleans)
Adrian Olivares Rodriguez (Louisiana Krewe) |
9 |
| 2020 | Season not disputed due to Covid-19 | |||
| 2021 | Louisiana Krewe FC | Gulf Coast Rangers | Quesi Weston (Louisiana Krewe) | 11 |
| 2022 | Gaffa FC | Shreveport United | ||
| 2023 | Southern States SC II | Central Texas Lobos FC | ||
| 2024 | Alabama FC South | Gaffa FC | Matthew Reed (Southern States)
Hector Moreno (Sowegans) |
11 |
References
edit- ^ "NISA ANNOUNCES FIRST AMATEUR AFFILIATION WITH GULF COAST PREMIER LEAGUE (GCPL)". NISA Homepage. Retrieved August 14, 2020.
- ^ "2015 US Open Cup qualifying: Cajun SC to face CD Motagua in Louisiana final". TheCup.us. April 3, 2014.
- ^ "Gulf Coast Premier League". United States Adult Soccer Association.
- ^ "About – Gulf Coast Premier League". Gulf Coast Premier League. August 1, 2016.
- ^ "Gulf Coast Premier League announces summer season; adds 3 new clubs". Gulf Coast Premier League. January 3, 2017.
- ^ "GULF COAST PREMIER LEAGUE CANCELS 2020 SEASON; PLANS FOR A FALL SEASON BEING DISCUSSED". Gulf Coast Premier League. May 4, 2020.
- ^ "GULF COAST PREMIER LEAGUE ANNOUNCES FALL TOURNAMENT SHOWCASE". Gulf Coast Premier League. October 14, 2020.
- ^ "Bugeaters FC joins the Gulf Coast Premier League". February 18, 2019.
- ^ https://www.plainsleague.com/s/GPPL-Info-11-18.pdf[permanent dead link] [bare URL PDF]