Draft:Florida Gold Coast League

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Florida Gold Coast League
Founded1972; 52 years ago (1972)
First season1972-73
CountryUnited States
ConfederationCONCACAF
(North American Football Union)
Domestic cup(s)U.S. Open Cup
(via qualifying tournament & NAC)
National Amateur Cup
International cup(s)CONCACAF Champions League
(via U.S. Open Cup)
Current championsSharks FCA of Florida (1st title)
Most championshipsHollywood Kickers, Lauderhill Lions (5 titles)
Websitefgclsoccer.com

The Florida Gold Coast League is a historic soccer league based out of South Florida and is affiliated to United States Soccer Federation via United States Adult Soccer Association and the Florida Adult Soccer Association.[1]

Established in 1972 as the Gold Coast Soccer League, it stands as the longest-running league in South Florida and boasts its affiliation with National Independent Soccer Association, a professionally sanctioned third division soccer league under US Soccer within the United States soccer league system.[2]

Currently, the league operates two divisions that exist within a state league system based on promotion and relegation in collaboration with the Florida Suncoast Soccer League and the Northeast Florida Soccer League.

History[edit]

Early years (1970s)[edit]

The Florida Gold coast League was established in 1972 as the Gold Coast Soccer League by a group of passionate soccer enthusiasts in South Florida, including notable figures like Gustav "Gus" Ingold, Otto Kuhnert, and Rudy Lewis all three of whom are honored as members of the Florida Adult Soccer Association's Hall of Fame.[3] [4]

Gustav Ingold, in particular, played a pivotal role in the development of soccer in the United States. A German immigrant from Freiburg, he arrived in the US in 1922 and, in 1924, organized the first German-American Soccer Club. He continued to play the sport as an amateur until the age of 35. [5] In the 1959 Gustav as a part of Vereinigung Erzgebirge helped in forming with the United Soccer League of Pennsylvania. [6] In 1969 Ingold would move to South Florida to retire leading to the establishment of the Gold Coast Soccer league serving as the league's first president. [5]

Otto Kuhnert, another German immigrant, arrived from Berlin and was also a circus aerialist.[7] He became a significant figure within the extensive German community of Broward County. During the early 1960s, he played a key role in founding the German American Soccer Club, which had connections with the enduring German-American Club of Hollywood. In 1967, he took part in the creation of the Hollywood Soccer Club. Furthermore, his contributions extended to initiating the Hollywood Soccer League and the Gold Coast Soccer League. He was deeply involved in coaching, refereeing and coordinating youth and adult leagues for the Hollywood Recreation Department. [7][8]

The GCSL started with 6 teams from across South Florida, including 3 clubs that left the Miami-based South Florida Soccer League.[3] The first season of the league would have 10 games per team and Hollywood International SC & North Miami SC would share the championship. Hollywood International SC would then finish runner-up in the State-cup.[9] According to Stan Barnett the coach of the Fort Lauderdale Soccer Club the team helped to create the GCSL "to broaden the amount soccer... we didn't get as many teams to join the Gold Coast as we had hoped".[10] In the second season, 3 of the league's teams decided to return to the more established South Florida Soccer League which played a longer 20-game season with a newly formed second division of 11 teams for the first time instituting a promotion relegation system.[10][11] The founding Broward clubs that left to the second division of SFSL included Fort Lauderdale SC, Hollywood International SC & German-American SC.[10] However, by 1978 the GCSL had 20 senior sides and a youth division with 20 teams, not to mention the Hollywood Italians of GCSL were crowned State Cup Champions. [12] In the late 70's many teams and players given the opportunity to play against (in exhibition matches) and be recruited into the local professional team the Fort Lauderdale Strikers (1977–1983) previously the Miami Toros of the North American Soccer League (1968–1984), Including fielding the Strikers during the NASL players strike. In addition to this the relationship between the league and the Strikers was strengthen by the fact the Coach Ron Newman and some of his players would compete in the GCSL during the off-season; each club was allowed two professional players. [12] By the end of the decade there were over 40 teams including sides from as far west as Fort Myers and as far North as Stuart. In 1979 GCSL created a "B" division and 17-19 year old division to accommodate it's growth and varying levels of play. [13]

The Original 6 clubs[edit]

  • Fort Lauderdale SC (Fort Lauderdale Britannia SC)
  • German-American SC
  • Hollywood International SC
  • Lake Worth SC (Lake Worth Kickers)
  • North Miami SC
  • Shirl Lions

Past Presidents[edit]

  • Gustav "Gus" Ingold
  • Rudy Lewis
  • Roger Borrello
  • Juan Pereyra
  • Kruno Krslovic
  • Dr. Jose "Joe" Meeroff

Today[edit]

Today the Florida Gold Coast League is rebuilding in South Florida. The league will be adding a upper division with travel across South Florida and institute promotion and relegation once again with it's more localized lower division.[14]

2022-2023 Teams[edit]

  • Deerfield United
  • Do Nascimiento FP
  • FC Boca Predators
  • Hurricane FC
  • Ingenious Elite
  • Inter Florida FC
  • Lauderdale SC
  • Rockerz Sports Club
  • Sharks FCA of Florida

Year by year[edit]

Top Flight Champions year by year[edit]

Gold Coast Soccer League
Season Champion Runner-up Final Notes
1972-73 Hollywood Internationa SC /

North Miami SC

Fort Lauderdale SC Fort Lauderdale finished 3rd, title was shared as final was not played
1977-78 Fort Lauderdale Nova (14-2-3),

Miramar (11-4-3),

Hollywood Italia (16-1-1)

League was divided into three groups, with inter group play.
1978-79 Haitian All-stars Young Italy
1979-80 Haitian All-stars Fort Lauderdale Nova
1980-81 North County Kicks Hollywood 3-2

(5-4 Pks)

North County becomes first champions from Palm Beach County.[15]
1981-82
1982-83 Hollywood Kickers Palm Beach County Kicks
1983-84 Lowenbrau Lions
1984-85 The Athletics of Fort Lauderdale Hollywood Kickers
1985-86 Sloga Soccer Club
Marlboro GCSL
Season Champion Runner-up Notes
1986-87 Sloga Soccer Club (2) Lowenbrau Lions, Hollywood Kickers No Playoffs, 2nd place was a tie.
1987-88 Hollywood Kickers (2) Sloga Soccer Club 1-0 Playoff forced, tied regular season
1988-89 Hollywood Kickers (3) No Playoffs
1989-90 Lauderhill Lions No Playoffs
Smirnoff GCSL
Season Champion Runner-up Final Regular Season Leader
1990-91 Miami Freedom Jrs Miramar Ilusiones 3-1 Lauderhill Lions (21-1)
1991-92 Honduras Oakland Lauderhill Lions
1992-93 Lauderhill Lions (2)
1993-94
Gold Coast Soccer League
Season Champion Runner-up Final Notes
1994-95 Lauderhill Lions (3) Honduras Futbol Club 3-2
1995-96 Honduras 5 Stars
1996-97 Honduras 5 Stars (2) Lauderhill Lions 1-0
1997-98 Lauderhill Lions (4) Uruguay Soccer Mania Club 9-1
1998-99 Hollywood Kickers (4) Soccer Mania 7-6

(4-3 Pks)

Western Union GCSL
Season Champion Runner-up Final Regular Season Leader
1999-00 Fort Lauderdale Atlas Honduras 5 Stars 3-2 Group A; Honduras 5 Stars,

Group B; Western United SC Top Scorer: Fabio Olivera (Hollywood Kickers) Golden Glove: Ivaro Peralta (Uruguay SC)

2000-01 Honduras 5 Stars (3) Uruguay Soccer Club Top Scorer: Christian Gioffi (Argentina United)

Golden Glove: Ruben Villalba (Honduras 5 star)

2001-02 Lauderhill Lions (5) Uruguay Soccer Club 4-3
Budwieser GCSL
Season Champion Runner-up Final Regular Season Leader
2002-03 Island Strikers Radnicki FC 4-2 Radnicki FC (11-2-1)
2003-04 Daniel O'Connell's Radnicki FC 4-0 Radnicki FC
2004-05 Croatia Florida
Gold Coast Soccer League
Season Champion Runner-up Final Regular Season Leader
2005-06 Palm Beach FC Broward Select 4-3
2006-07 Interamerica FC Palm Beach FC 4-2 Interamerica FC (17-3-3)
2007-08 Interamerica FC (2) Boca Raton FC 3-0 Interamerica FC (13-6-2)
2008-09 Storm Interamerica FC
Gold Coast Soccer Development League
Season Champion Runner-up Final Regular Season Leader
2012-13 The Academy Lauderdale SC Barcelona Lake Worth Sharks 2-0
2013-14 The Academy Lauderdale SC (2) Schulz Academy 4-0
Gold Coast Premier League
Season Champion Runner-up Final Regular Season Leader
2016-17 Palm Beach Spartans Laudedale SC
2017-18 Lauderdale SC (3) Palm Beach Spartans 4-1 Palm Beach Spartans (Undefeated)
Florida Gold Coast League
Season Champion Runner-up Final Regular Season Leader
2018-19 Himmarshee FC Boca FC Predators 2-0 Himmarshee FC
2019-20 Season Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic Island United AC led the league (5-0-0)
2020-21 Inter Florida FC Himmarshee FC 5-2 North: Himmarshee (7-1-2), South: Inter Florida (5-0-5)

Top Scorer: Nicholas Nelson (Inter Florida FC)

2021-22 Deerfield United FC Boca Raton FC 4-1 North: Boca Raton (8-1-1), South: Argentine Soccer Academy (4-3-2)

Top Scorer: Romilaire Ambroise (Deerfield United)

2022-23 Sharks FCA of Florida Rockerz 3-3* Sharks FCA of Florida (10-1-0)

Top Scorer: Romilaire Ambroise (Deerfield United FC)

Notable Alumni[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "MEMBER LEAGUES". FLORIDA ADULT SOCCER ASSOCIATION. Retrieved 2023-10-27.
  2. ^ "NISA Nation Announces Affiliation with the Historic Florida Gold Coast League". www.nisanation.com. Retrieved 2023-10-27.
  3. ^ a b "The Miami Herald 04 Nov 1972, page 154". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2023-10-27.
  4. ^ "HALL OF FAME". FLORIDA ADULT SOCCER ASSOCIATION. Retrieved 2023-10-27.
  5. ^ a b By (1988-01-09). "GUSTAVE INGOLD, SOCCER ENTHUSIAST". Sun Sentinel. Retrieved 2023-10-27.
  6. ^ "United Soccer League of Pennsylvania". unitedsoccerleague.us. Retrieved 2023-10-27.
  7. ^ a b "Fort Lauderdale News 25 Jan 1984, page Page 169". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2023-10-27.
  8. ^ "The Miami Herald 15 Feb 1979, page 171". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2023-10-27.
  9. ^ "The Tampa Times 21 May 1973, page 30". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2023-10-30.
  10. ^ a b c "The Miami Herald 04 Nov 1973, page 140". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2023-10-29.
  11. ^ "The Miami Herald 09 Sep 1973, page 169". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2023-10-29.
  12. ^ a b "The Miami Herald 13 Oct 1978, page 179". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2023-10-27.
  13. ^ "Fort Lauderdale News 18 Oct 1979, page Page 160". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2023-10-27.
  14. ^ Root and Branch: Episode 10 with FGCL's Carlos Budyszewick, 2023-07-19, retrieved 2023-11-03
  15. ^ "The Palm Beach Post 01 Jun 1981, page Page 47". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2023-10-27.
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