CARSON, Calif. – The LA Galaxy Girls’ Academy begin their second-ever season on Saturday with high hopes for the future.
The Girls' Academy begins their official 2018/19 campaign with games against the So Cal Blues Soccer Club on Saturday, September 1 at So Cal Sports Complex Oceanside in Oceanside, Calif.
The second season builds off a highly successful inaugural year that saw the Galaxy Girls’ Academy excel with several international call-ups including Sofia Cook to the U.S U-15’s and a victory at the Surf Cup earlier this year. With aspirations of building a program that can foster talent in Southern California, Hartman is overjoyed with what his group has accomplished.
"We’re extremely proud to have been able to bring this Development Academy opportunity to our players and their families. From the very start, our athletes were engaged in the process and were resolute in their belief in the pathway," LA Galaxy Girls' Academy Director Kevin Hartman said. "Many trainings and three Showcases later, our girls have improved significantly. Individually, their understanding of their roles and responsibilities has shown a marked improvement and as a collective group, we are much more dynamic with how we approach each match, and our ability to adapt has grown significantly.
“Each week the girls are prepared to give their best, whether that is by preparing in the gym or recuperating with the assistance of our Athletic Training staff. We’re proud of the strides our program has made and look forward to continuing to evolve as a top club in women’s soccer here in the Southern California community.”
Heading into the second season, Hartman is excited to get started.
“We’re looking forward to the new year with a great amount of optimism. Our older groups are more in tune with our expectations, and our younger age groups hold loads of talent and potential,” Hartman said. “As a staff, we are always challenging ourselves to see if we are able to get the most out of each player and the groups. As any club would do, we’re constantly looking to see what lessons we can take away from the inaugural season and to see how we can be better.
“By retaining our high standards and introducing new concepts developed with the help of experts around the club, we feel confident that we’ll be even more prepared for the rigors of the Development Academy season. With the continued support of leadership here at the LA Galaxy, we’re perfectly aligned to support our families and those of other girls that may be interested in furthering their development pathway.”
