Gulf Coast Premier League
Founded2014
CountryUnited States
ConfederationCONCACAF
Number of teams15
Domestic cup(s)Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
Current champions[Southern States SC II] (1)
(2023)
Most championshipsMotagua New Orleans (3)
Websitegcplsoccer.com
Current: 2021 GCPL season

The Gulf Coast Premier League (GCPL) is a United States Adult Soccer Association affiliated Amateur Elite League that includes teams from Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. 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.

Louisiana Premier League

The 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

On 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 announced as a future member in June 2017.

Developmental League

A 4-team developmental league called the Gulf Coast Development League (GCDL) was announced and began play in May 2019.

2020 Fall Tournament Showcase

The 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

In 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

Team City Stadium Founded Inaugural season Head coach
Western Conference
Central Louisiana FC (known as Alexandria Pool Boys FC until 2023) Alexandria, Louisiana Wildcat Field at Louisiana Christian University 2013 2014 United States David Castillo
BRSC Capitals Baton Rouge, Louisiana Olympia Stadium 2016 2017 United States Patrick Bueno
Louisiana Krewe II Lafayette, Louisiana LUS Fiber Field 2013 2014 United States John Plumbar
Central Texas Lobos FC Buda, Texas Bob Shelton Stadium 2015 2018 Colombia Jorge Cruz
Shreveport United Shreveport, Louisiana Cargill Park 2016 2018 Liberia Francois Browne
Eastern Conference
Crescent City FC New Orleans, Louisiana Holy Cross School 2015 2021 United States Matt Millet
Florida Roots Panama City, Florida 2020 2023
Gaffa FC Jackson, Mississippi Freedom Ridge Park 2016 2017 PanamaHumberto Peláez
Gulf Coast United Gulfport, Mississippi Herbert Wilson Stadium 2003 2021 Russia Oleg Chichkanov
Hattiesburg FC Hattiesburg, Mississippi Sacred Heart Stadium 2003 2019 England Ross Brooks
Pensacola Bay United Pensacola, Florida Ashton Brosnaham Stadium 2022 2023
Pensacola FC Pensacola, Florida Ashton Brosnaham Stadium 2017 2017 United States Austin King
Sowegans SC Albany, Georgia 2022 2023
Union 10 FC Daphne, Alabama Al Trione Complex 2022 2023

Former Teams

Seasons

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)
Oscar Saavedra (Central Texas Lobos FC)

 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

References

  1. ↑ "NISA ANNOUNCES FIRST AMATEUR AFFILIATION WITH GULF COAST PREMIER LEAGUE (GCPL)". NISA Homepage. Retrieved August 14, 2020.
  2. ↑ "2015 US Open Cup qualifying: Cajun SC to face CD Motagua in Louisiana final". TheCup.us. April 3, 2014.
  3. ↑ "Gulf Coast Premier League". United States Adult Soccer Association.
  4. ↑ "About – Gulf Coast Premier League". Gulf Coast Premier League. August 1, 2016.
  5. ↑ "Gulf Coast Premier League announces summer season; adds 3 new clubs". Gulf Coast Premier League. January 3, 2017.
  6. ↑ "GULF COAST PREMIER LEAGUE CANCELS 2020 SEASON; PLANS FOR A FALL SEASON BEING DISCUSSED". Gulf Coast Premier League. May 4, 2020.
  7. ↑ "GULF COAST PREMIER LEAGUE ANNOUNCES FALL TOURNAMENT SHOWCASE". Gulf Coast Premier League. October 14, 2020.
  8. ↑ "Bugeaters FC joins the Gulf Coast Premier League".
  9. ↑ https://www.plainsleague.com/s/GPPL-Info-11-18.pdf%5B%5D
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