Gulf Coast Premier League

(Redirected from Gaffa FC)

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.

Gulf Coast Premier League
Founded2014
CountryUnited States
ConfederationCONCACAF
Number of teams20 Clubs, with some clubs fielding teams in multiple leagues.
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: 2024 GCPL season

Louisiana Premier League

edit

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

edit

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 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

edit

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

2020 Fall Tournament Showcase

edit

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

edit

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

edit
ClubCityStadiumFoundedInaugural season
AFC Mobile - PremierMobile, AlabamaDotson Field20172017 (returned 2024)
Alabama FC South - Premier, League TwoMontgomery, AlabamaEmory Folmar YMCA Championship Stadium2024
ASG-Lions - League TwoTallahassee, Florida2024
BRSC Capitals - Premier, Women'sBaton Rouge, LouisianaOlympia Stadium20162017
Cajun Rush - Women'sLafayette, LouisianaLUS Fiber Stadium20142014
Central Louisiana FC (known as Alexandria Pool Boys FC until 2023) - Premier, League TwoAlexandria, LouisianaWildcat Field at Louisiana Christian University20132014
Florida Roots - Premier, League Two, Women'sPanama City, FloridaFort Walton Beach High School20202023
Gaffa FC - PremierJackson, MississippiFreedom Ridge Park20162017
Gulf Coast United - Premier, Women'sGulfport, MississippiHerbert Wilson Stadium20032021
Hattiesburg FC - Women'sHattiesburg, Mississippi20032019
Louisiana Krewe II - PremierLafayette, LouisianaLUS Fiber Field20132014
Mississippi Blues SC - League Two, Women'sClinton, MississippiFreedom Ridge Park Stadium2018
Northtown Bravos - League TwoBossier City, Louisiana20232024
Pensacola Bay United - PremierPensacola, FloridaAshton Brosnaham Stadium20222023
Pensacola FC - (U19) League Two, Women'sPensacola, FloridaAshton Brosnaham Stadium20172017
Shreveport United - Premier, Women'sShreveport, LouisianaCargill Park20162018
Southern States FC II - PremierHattiesburg, MississippiThe Oakes Training Center20152023
Sowegans SC - PremierAlbany, GeorgiaLee County Track and Soccer Complex20222023
Union 10 FC - Premier, Women'sDaphne, AlabamaAl Trione Complex20222023

Former Teams

edit

Seasons

edit
SeasonWinnerRunner-upHighest goalscorer
2014–15Motagua New OrleansCajun Soccer ClubSteven Morris (Motagua New Orleans)12
2015–16Motagua New OrleansBoca Knights FCJoel Amos (Lake City Gamblers)

Leonardo Ferriera de Barros (Motagua New Orleans)

6
2016–17Motagua New OrleansShreveport Rafters FC BReece Wilson (Motagua New Orleans)18
2017Gaffa FCCajun Soccer ClubVasbert Ledger (Cajun Soccer Club)9
2018Port City FCCajun Soccer ClubQuesi Weston (BOCA FC)16
2019FC New OrleansNorthshore UnitedRoger Llergo (FC New Orleans)

Adrian Olivares Rodriguez (Louisiana Krewe)
Oscar Saavedra (Central Texas Lobos FC)

9
2020Season not disputed due to Covid-19
2021Louisiana Krewe FCGulf Coast RangersQuesi Weston (Louisiana Krewe)11
2022Gaffa FCShreveport United
2023Southern States SC IICentral Texas Lobos FC

References

edit
  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". February 18, 2019.
  9. ^ https://www.plainsleague.com/s/GPPL-Info-11-18.pdf[permanent dead link] [bare URL PDF]
edit