Texas Premier Soccer League

Texas Premier Soccer League (TPSL)
Country  United States
Confederation US Club Soccer
United States Soccer Federation
Founded 2013
Number of teams 8 (2015/16)
Domestic cup(s) U.S. Open Cup
League cup(s) 2014/15 Texas State Cup
Austin Real Cuauhtemoc (ARC)
Current champions 2014/15 Championship Winners
Austin Real Cuauhtemoc
2014/15 Regular Season
Houston Hurricanes FC
TV partners MRSoccerGroup (Region3soccer.com) [1]
Website Official Site
2014/15 Season post season

The Texas Premier Soccer League (TPSL) is a men's outdoor soccer league that was formed in 2013 consisting of amateur soccer club sides primarily in the South section of the state.

The league runs from September to March with Texas Cup games also added. An opportunity to qualify for the following season's Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup is also available to teams through its affiliation with US Club Soccer. However, in order for the winning team to participate in the said following years competition, the club must still be a league member. This may be subject to a positive change if plans to allow USSF to take control of qualifying happens in the fall of 2015, where all US Club Soccer sanctioned clubs could enter.[2]

The TPSL is sanctioned by US Club Soccer,[3] of the United States Soccer Federation (USSF).[4] The league is completely owned and operated solely by Brendan Keyes. Each team is owned and operated individually and are responsible for maintaining the league's minimum standards and for raising their own operating revenue.

History

The Beginning

In 2013, the league was created by Current Owner/President Brendan Keyes, Head Coach of the Houston Hurricanes FC.

The Start

As league owner and President, Brendan Keyes commenced negotiations from May 2013 with several local teams, and after the addition of five more clubs, the TPSL was formed with a view to starting play in September 2013 and an eye on expanding the league in future years.

In September 2013 six clubs (Houston Leones FC, Houston Hurricanes FC, Houston Regals SCA, Houston Dutch Lions FC, Galveston Pirate SC, and BCS Bearkatz FC) were the leagues opening teams, beginning a series of league games that would break for a series of cup games over the winter, before returning in February to complete the league season.

The Unveiling

On September 21, 2013[5] at Fox and Hound 12802 Gulf Freeway, Houston, all six founder member clubs appeared at a press conference in front of friends and family to officially unveil the clubs, the rosters, the uniforms and sponsors.

2014/15

For the season 2014/15 Austin Real Cuauhtemoc (ARC), Texas Timberz FC, Twin Cities FC and Ranchero King FC were added to the league alongside Houston Hurricanes FC and Galveston. The four other clubs that had been part of the 2013/14 season did not return for a second season.

2015/16

In the time since the 2014/15 season has ended, four new clubs have been announced to play in the new 2015/16 season. Temple United FC, Brownsville Bravos FC, San Antonio Generals and Luling Oilers. Only Galveston have dropped out from the league after the conclusion of season two.

Title Winners

Texas State Cup Regular Season League Championship
2013/14 Houston Dutch Lions[6] Houston Dutch Lions Regals SCA
2014/15 Austin Real Cuauhtemoc (ARC) Houston Hurricanes FC Austin Real Cuauhtemoc (ARC)

Season-by-season 

2015/16 TPSL season
2014/15 TPSL season
2013/14 Texas Premier Soccer League 2013/14 Season

League Structure

Regular Season Format

The regular season runs from September to March.

Each side plays 1 home and 1 away match against each club during the league season. The regular season winners will receive a Supporters Shield as of the 2014/15 season. The eventual league Championship winners take home the league trophy which, like every other soccer or association football league in the world, must be returned prior to the following years conclusion of play.

To decide the championship, the top four sides from the regular season will play in a one-off game in a seeded playoff format, with the winners from the two matches meeting each other in the final to decide the Championship winner.

Championship Playoff Format

Playoffs will be formatted as follows:

Semi Finals
Game A - Seed 1 v Seed 4
Game B - Seed 2 v Seed 3

Championship Final
Winner Game A v Winner Game B

Cup competition

Texas State Cup

For season 2014/15 the participating clubs will play in a straight knock out series of games with the winner taking home the US Club Soccer sanctioned Texas State Cup. The series of games take place during the winter break from league play, December and January hosting the semis finals, February hosting the final.

U.S. Open Cup

As part of the sanctioning by US Club Soccer, the playoff championship winners of the TPSL league season are offered an opportunity to play to qualify for US Club Soccer's single US Open Cup slot. Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. However, in order for the winning team to occupy the spot offer by US Club Soccer in the said following years competition, the club must still be a league member. This may be subject to a positive change if plans to allow USSF to take control of qualifying happens in the fall of 2015, where all US Club Soccer sanctioned clubs could enter, therefore all clubs participating in TPSL could represent the league in qualifying, and all have a chance at breaking into the opening round of the National Cup proper.[2]

Current Season

2015/16 Teams

Team Joined TPSL City Stadium Website President/Owner Head Coach
Houston Hurricanes FC 2013 Houston Lutheran South Academy, Houston HurricanesRepublic of Ireland Brendan Keyes Brendan Keyes
Austin Real Cuahutemoc[7] 2014 Austin, Texas Walden Drive, Georgetown ARC Jose Bartolo Jose Bartolo
Twin Cities FC[8] 2014 Eagle Pass, Texas Eagle Field, Eagle Pass Twin Cities Jesus Daniel Gonzalez Argenis Villamil
Texas Timberz FC 2014 Diboll, Texas Diboll Community Field Timberz Marco A Morales Rodolfo Sanabria
Temple United FC 2015 Temple Temple Jeremiah Connolly
Brownsville Bravos FC 2015 Brownsville Oliveira Park, Brownsville Bravos J. Martin Vela
San Antonio Generals 2015 San Antonio Generals
Luling Oilers FC 2015 Luling Oilers Tim Friesenhahn

Future Expansion sides 

Lockhart Knights[9] Reviewing its entry year.
Celtic FC America. Reviewing its entry year.
Texas Rangers FC. Reviewing its entry year.


Sponsorship & League Partners

Texas Premier Soccer League is sponsored by Holiday Inn Resort, Keyes Sports Wear, Keyes Sports Management & MRSoccerGroup.

Front Office & Coaching Staff

TPSL 

TPSL Owner/President - Brendan Keyes 

TPSL Vice President - Marc Roseblade

References

  1. ↑ TPSL. "MRSoccerGroup". Retrieved November 12, 2014.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Thecup.us. "US Open Cup change". Retrieved March 27, 2015.
  3. ↑ US Club Soccer. "US Club Soccer". Retrieved February 11, 2014.
  4. ↑ USSF. "US Soccer". Retrieved February 11, 2014.
  5. ↑ TPSL. "Press conference". Retrieved February 17, 2014.
  6. ↑ HDL. "Texas Cup". Retrieved February 15, 2014.
  7. ↑ TPSL. "Austin join". Retrieved February 17, 2014.
  8. ↑ Region3Soccer. "Twin Cities join". Retrieved March 13, 2014.
  9. ↑ HSN11News. "Lockhart join". Retrieved February 17, 2014.

External links