Draft:Florida Gold Coast League

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.

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.

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.

Early years (1970s)
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.

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. In the 1959 Gustav as a part of Vereinigung Erzgebirge helped in forming with the United Soccer League of Pennsylvania. 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.

Otto Kuhnert, another German immigrant, arrived from Berlin and was also a circus aerialist. 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.

The GCSL started with 6 teams from across South Florida, including 3 clubs that left the Miami-based South Florida Soccer League. 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. 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". 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. The founding Broward clubs that left to the second division of SFSL included Fort Lauderdale SC, Hollywood International SC & German-American SC. 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. 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. 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.

The Original 6 clubs

 * Fort Lauderdale SC (Fort Lauderdale Britannia SC)
 * German-American SC
 * Hollywood International SC
 * Lake Worth SC (Lake Worth Kickers)
 * North Miami SC
 * Shirl Lions
 * Florida Atlantic University SC (originally listed prior to the start of the season)

Past Presidents

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

Today
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.

2022-2023 Teams

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

Notable Alumni

 * George Weah
 * Gerd Müller
 * Teófilo Cubillas
 * Andre Blake
 * Eric Eichmann
 * Steve Ralbovsky
 * Mark Chung
 * Billy Riley
 * John Fairolough
 * David Irving (footballer)
 * Roy Wiggemansen
 * Nono Baptiste
 * Joe Fink
 * Mark Schwartz (soccer)