2011-2012 Changes Addressed By Director of Coaching 

Gulf Coast United Dynamo will be taking a new direction beginning in the 2011/2012 season. All of our teams will be registered through US Club Soccer, and US Club Soccer only. We have spent a lot of time discussing our options as a board and as a coaching staff and feel that this is our best option.

We have always been a part of US Youth Soccer, but felt it was time to make a change to better serve our players, and parents. I have included an excellent article written by Mike Woitalla of SoccerAmerica in regard to US Club Soccer that outlines a lot of the reasons we felt it necessary to make the change. A press release will be going out by US Club Soccer soon, and we wanted you to hear it from us first.

We will be joining the Gulf States National Premier League, made up of the following

• Baton Rouge Soccer Club

• Cajun Soccer Club

• Chicago Fire Juniors of Louisiana

• Chicago Fire Juniors of Mississippi – JFC

• Dallas Texans of Florida (Pensacola)

• Gulf Coast United Dynamos

• Hattiesburg FC

• Mandeville Soccer Club

• Mississippi Brilla Juniors

• Mobile Soccer Club

The Gulf States National Premier League is one of many leagues that make up US Club Soccer’s National Premier Leagues; others include:

• Florida National Premier League U13-U18 Boys and Girls (Brandon FC, Central Florida Kraze/Krush, Jacksonville United, Space Coast United, Tampa Bay United, Team Boca, and West Pines United)

• Midwest Developmental League U13-U18 Boys (Bavarian SC, Chicago Fire Academy, Chicago Magic, FC Milwaukee Nationals, FC United, Blue Valley SC, Madison 56ers, MN Thunder Academy, Rockford Raptors, St. Louis Scott Gallagher-Metro, St. Louis Scott Gallagher-Missouri, Sockers FC Chicago, Sporting KC Juniors, Carmel United, Cincinnati United SC, Crew Juniors, Fort Wayne Fever, Grand Rapids Crew Juniors, Internationals SC, Michigan Jaguars FC, Michigan Wolves SC, Vardar, and WAZA F.C.)

• NorCal Premier League U11-U18 Boys and Girls (over 100 clubs involved)

• Northern Illinois Soccer League (too many to mention..)

• Oregon Premier League U11-U18 Boys and Girls (over 35 clubs)

• Northeast Pre-Academy League U12-15 Boys (Albertson SC, Cosmos Academy East, FC Greater Boston, FC Westchester, Met Oval, Oakwood SC, PDA, Seacoast United, South Central Premier, Baltimore Bays Chelsea, D.C. United, FC Delco, Match Fit, McLean Youth Soccer, New York Red Bulls, NJSA 04, PA Classics, and Potomac SA)

• Southeast Pre-Academy League – U14 Boys (Atlanta Fire United, Birmingham United SA, CASL, Charlotte SA, Concorde Fire, North Meck SC, Richmond Kickers, Richmond Strikers, South Carolina United, and Virginia Rush)

• Texas Pre-Academy League – U13-U15 Boys (Classics Elite, Dallas Texans, FC Dallas, Houston Dynamo, Lonestar SC, Solar, Texas Rush, and Texans SC)

The Gulf States National Premier League will be comprised of one team for each age group from each club (U13-U18 Boys and Girls). They will compete against each other during the fall and spring, concluding with a League Tournament May 12-13, 2012 in Baton Rouge. The Gulf States National Premier League champions will move on to compete in the National Premier Leagues Champions Cup in July 2012.

The league game dates are as follows (though they are subject to some possible change):

• August 20-21 Boys and Girls in Baton Rouge

• September 17-18 Boys – Jackson, Girls –Gulfport

• October 1-2 Boys-Pensacola, Girls-Mobile

• March 3-4, 2012 Girls-TBD

• March 10-11, 2012 Boys-TBD

• April 21-22 Boys and Girls-TBD

• League Tournament – May 12-13

Starting next season, our 13 and 14 age groups will keep their regional teams (ie. Jackson County, Harrison County, Hancock County, etc.) These teams will train seperately once a week and together as a pool of players once a week. From the entire pool the Premier league teams will be selected for each of the above listed weekends. The Premier League roster may change for each play date. Players will be chosen based upon ability, current form, fitness level, and other criteria. Teams will be chosen by the age group coaches and the Directors of Coaching. The remaining players will play for a reserve team which will have schedueled games on the same play dates with area clubs.

At the older age groups with more than 18 players but not enough to form two teams larger pools will be formed. The best players will be chosen for each Premier League play date. Tournament and friendly teams will be chosen to ensure that all players selected have the opportunity to develop and progress as players.

All of the reserve teams in the older age groups and our U11 and U12 will be involved in games with teams from the other clubs in structured and unstructured environments. Those teams will kick-off with an opening event on August 27-28 in Clinton, with games arranged for them. From there, teams will be given the ability to schedule games with teams from other clubs during Gulf States NPL events, or on their own at times that work best for them. Their season will conclude with a Mississippi State Cup on May 5-6, 2012 in Hattiesburg, with our teams competing against HFC, Brilla, Mississippi Fire, JFC, and the Dallas Texans of Florida at a minimum.

Of course, our teams will continue to participate in Club tournaments as they have in the past, and we have already established a long list of opportunities for all of our teams.

If you have any questions or concerns please contact Coach Chic - chicc@knighttrans.com or Coach Paul pmsoccer@bellsouth.net.