CARSON, Calif. (Thursday, July 23, 2015) – LA Galaxy have launched an innovative high school educationprogram at StubHub Center, the country’s first of its kind blended learning program that will immerse LA Galaxy Academy student-athletes in the same environment and schedule as the LA Galaxy and LA Galaxy II. The program will launch ahead of the 2015 fall school semester.
“The Galaxy will always strive to lead the development of soccer in North America with unprecedented initiatives,” said LA Galaxy Chris Klein. “The new Academy blended learning program at StubHub Center allows the student-athletes who make up our Academy to train at the same time and facilities as Galaxy professionals while still participating in full academic curriculum to receive their education. These elite players can now effectively develop on and off the field within the same professional environment as the LA Galaxy.”
The program allows player development from the LA Galaxy Academy to LA Galaxy to operate within the same structure and confines of StubHub Center. LA Galaxy Academy student-athletes can participate in the same training schedule as LA Galaxy and LA Galaxy II professionals, using the same facilities in the morning before beginning their education following training. This implementation creates a unified system of daily training, regimen and schedule consistent across LA Galaxy, LA Galaxy II and LA Galaxy Academy players.
“We’re extremely proud to create a unique program to our country that will allow our Academy players to learn and develop with the same resources provided to our professionals,” said LA Galaxy Academy Director Pete Vagenas. “The Galaxy Academy has the opportunity to be one of the best in the world. This is a monumental step for our club and for the development of soccer in our country.”
The high-school education program will be housed in classrooms on the Dominguez Hills campus at StubHub Center and will use a Blended Learning technique. This technique will feature full-time, credentialed educators as personal counselors and tutors for each student athlete in addition to a rigorous and successful online-based program as the guiding curriculum. Educators will teach, facilitate and tend to each student’s learning while using the advanced online-based curriculum as a foundation.
Specifically, students will arrive at StubHub Center in the morning alongside LA Galaxy and LA Galaxy II players to train with access to the same locker rooms, fitness equipment, weight room and meals. In the afternoon, each student-athlete will participate in a flexible program offering specific academic curriculum and additional tailored nutritional, performance and athletic education sessions, as well. The structure provides a holistic approach that will simultaneously develop LA Galaxy Academy members in both the classroom and on the field in a consistent location and schedule reflective of a professional environment.
Additionally, the education program will facilitate the needs of Academy student-athletes from any part of Southern California, who can develop on the field and receive a full education at the same location.
The LA Galaxy completed extensive research on the most successful and advance high-school structures that maintain high academic standards while catering to daily physical demands of a high-performance athlete.
The LA Galaxy already boast 15 LA Galaxy Academy products who have signed professional contracts: Gyasi Zardes, Jose Villarreal, Bradford Jamieson IV, Raul Mendiola, Oscar Sorto, Jack McBean, Jaime Villarreal, Eric Lopez, Elijah Martin, Adonis Amaya, Ryo Fujii, Adrian Vera, Bennett Sneddon, Joe Franco and Alejandro Covarrubias. The Galaxy became the first team to launch their own independent and fully-operated professional team to compete in USL with the inception of LA Galaxy II in 2014.
The LA Galaxy Academy is led by Academy Director Pete Vagenas, who oversees and evaluates all aspects, including implementing coaching and training curriculums. It is composed of teams from the U-13 to U-18 levels that compete in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy.
