Gulf Coast Premier League
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.
 | |
| Founded | 2014 |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| Confederation | CONCACAF |
| Number of teams | 18 |
| Domestic cup(s) | Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup |
| Current champions | FC New Orleans (2019) |
| Most championships | Motagua New Orleans (3) |
| Website | gcplsoccer.com |
 | |
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,[1] 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.[2]
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.[3]
In January 2017 the league announced three expansion teams, expanding the league footprint into Alabama and Florida.[4] 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.
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 will begin play in 2020 and the first team to join, Nebraska Bugeaters FC, would play their 2019 season as exhibition-only.[5][6]
Teams
| Team | City | Stadium | Founded | Inaugural season | Head Coach |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Division | |||||
| Alexandria FC | Alexandria, Louisiana | Wildcat Field at Louisiana College | 2013 | 2014 |  |
| Cajun Soccer Club | Lafayette, Louisiana | LUS Fiber Field | 2013 | 2014 |  |
| Central Texas Lobos FC | Buda, Texas | Bob Shelton Stadium | 2015 | 2018 |  |
| Shreveport United | Shreveport, Louisiana | Cargill Park | 2016 | 2018 |  |
| Louisiana Krewe FC | Lafayette, Louisiana | Ragin' Cajuns Soccer/Track Facility | 2018 | 2019 |  |
| Central Division | |||||
| Baton Rouge SC | Baton Rouge, Louisiana | Olympia Stadium | 2016 | 2017 | |
| Crescent City FC | New Orleans, Louisiana | TBD | 2015 | 2020 | TBD |
| FC New Orleans | New Orleans, Louisiana | Pan American Stadium | 2018 | 2019 | .svg.png){kind=small} |
| Gaffa FC | Jackson, Mississippi | Freedom Ridge Park | 2016 | 2017 |  |
| Mississippi Blues SC | Jackson, Mississippi | Harper Davis Field | 2018 | 2018 | |
| Northshore United FC | Covington, Louisiana | Wolverine Stadium | 2017 | 2018 | |
| East Division | |||||
| Gulf Coast Rangers FC | Fairhope, Alabama | Fairhope Municipal Stadium | 2017 | 2018 | |
| Hattiesburg FC | Hattiesburg, Mississippi | Crusader Field | 1980 | 2019 |  |
| Mobile United FC | Mobile, Alabama | The Jungle | 2010 | 2020 |  |
| Pensacola FC | Pensacola, Florida | Ashton Brosnaham Stadium | 2017 | 2017 | |
| Great Plains (Expansion Teams) | |||||
| Nebraska Bugeaters FC[7] | Omaha, Nebraska | Morrison Stadium | 2018 | 2020 | |
Former Teams
- AFC Mobile (Mobile) (2017–2019, moved to National Premier Soccer League)
- BOCA FC (Shreveport) (2015–2019)
- Lake City Gamblers (Lake Charles) (2014–2017)
- Louisiana Fire (New Orleans) (2016–2017)
- Motagua New Orleans (New Orleans) (2014–2019)
- Nicholls State University Club (Thibodaux) (2014–2015)
- Port City FC (Gulfport) (2016–2019, moved to National Premier Soccer League)
- Real United Riverhawks FC (Moss Point) (2018)
- Shreveport Rafters FC B (2016–2017)
- Tallahassee SC (Tallahassee) (2019, moved to National Premier Soccer League)
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 |
References
- "2015 US Open Cup qualifying: Cajun SC to face CD Motagua in Louisiana final". TheCup.us. 3 April 2014.
- "Gulf Coast Premier League". United States Adult Soccer Association.
- "About - Gulf Coast Premier League". Gulf Coast Premier League. 1 August 2016.
- "Gulf Coast Premier League announces summer season; adds 3 new clubs". Gulf Coast Premier League. 3 January 2017.
- https://www.gcplsoccer.com/bugeaters-fc-joins-the-gcpl/
- https://www.plainsleague.com/s/GPPL-Info-11-18.pdf
- "BUGEATERS FC JOIN THE GULF COAST PREMIER LEAGUE". Gulf Coast Premier League. February 18, 2019. Retrieved March 3, 2019.