About the GCLA.....
Jointly founded in 1995 by the New Orleans Lacrosse Club and the Houston Metropolitan Lacrosse Club, the GCLA is a multi-state men's club lacrosse league.
The first GCLA Playoffs were held at City Park in New Orleans in 1996. Tulane outlasted New Orleans in one semifinal, while Houston-Metro slipped past the Jackson Thunder in the other. In the final, Metro jumped to a 5-3 lead at halftime over the Green Wave, but Tulane's second half comeback resulted in a Tulane win, 8-5. Teams have been scrambling to beat each other ever since.
Within the GCLA, there are both conference members and At-Large members. At-Large members exist in many locations and their schedules are often dictated by the team's geography, philosophy, or team cultures. Conference members are teams that are in close proximity to other members to the point where it makes sense to create actual conferences. These conferences create structure to member schedules and provide a conference championship to compete for. All GCLA teams have the right to choose whether to play in a conference or simply as an At-Large.
GCLA teams have come in all shapes and sizes. Some have been strong, mature organizations that are located in major cities that supply a steady stream of players each and every year. Others may come from from smaller cities and rely on creating players from scratch. Others still may come from distinct suburbs or neighborhoods within larger metropolitan areas.
The GCLA has also been home to several college teams over the years. The GCLA has provided for such programs a low-cost league home for which college teams can be built, or more likely, rebuilt. Among the college teams that have called the GCLA home at one time or another are Tulane, Loyola, LSU-Shreveport, LSU, Spring Hill College, Mississippi State, UL-Monroe, Louisiana Tech, TCU, Blinn College, Houston, Sam Houston State, St. Edwards, Trinity, Lamar, the Texas A&M Corps of Cadets, and several others. In many cases, it was the GCLA that helped bring many of these programs back to health, enabling them to eventually leave for a more college-focused league. Still, the league's impact on the college game has been solid.
The GCLA encourages low costs and low barriers to competition. The GCLA also aggressively seeks expansion and is always pushing for more players, more teams, and more games. In this way, the league supports a mission that has no end. It is a participation-oriented league where every player is precious and deserving of a chance to play this sport.
The GCLA is not a difficult league to belong to, but what rules it has it means. Roster solidarity is important in the GCLA in that it fosters fair competition among its members. Our rules are no nonsense and derived from decades of experience.
Lastly, not all GCLA teams are the same- at all. Many play extensive schedules each spring with highly competitive tournaments at the end of each season. Others may play only 2-3 games due to geography or other reasons. Many are somewhat in between. We allow each team to chart the course it desires. As long as a team adheres to the GCLA bylaws and norms, they are welcome with us.
So, if this looks like the type of league that makes sense to you or your club, give us a shout. Let's evaluate what you are looking for and whether or not we are a good fit for you. Most of the time, we believe, we are.
Thank you for taking the time to look us up.
Steve Mathiason, 713-366-6094, metrolax@yahoo.com
