The LA Galaxy announced today that former goalkeeper Kevin Hartman has been named the Director of the LA Galaxy Girls’ Academy, which is set to begin competition this fall. Hartman, 42, is one of the Galaxy’s and Major League Soccer’s most decorated players of all-time, representing LA from 1997-2006 and making 243 appearances while helping lead the club to two MLS Cup trophies (2002, 2005). LA Galaxy fans can meet the LA Galaxy’s new Girl’s Academy Director on Saturday, April 22 in advance of LA Galaxy II’s match against Orange County SC when Hartman attends a pre-game tailgate beginning at 5:30 p.m. PT in Lot 18, with food and beer provided to those in attendance.
“It is an incredible honor for me to be named the Director of the LA Galaxy Girls’ Academy program,” said Hartman. “This club has meant so much to me throughout my career and I am deeply humbled to be able to lead this unique, innovative and monumental initiative from the LA Galaxy. Development among youth soccer players is critical, and providing the appropriate resources and platforms to facilitate that development is an important step. I am thrilled to be a part of implementing a structure for girls throughout Southern California to develop to grow and develop in a professional environment free of charge.”
| LA GALAXY II TAILGATE WITH KEVIN HARTMAN | |
|---|---|
| WHEN | Saturday, April 22 5:30 p.m. PT |
| WHERE | Lot 18 Adjacent to StubHub Center Track & Field Stadium |
| WHAT | LA Galaxy Girls’ Academy Director Kevin Hartman to attend LA Galaxy II tailgate with fans; Free beer and food to be provided to fans
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Founded last year, the LA Galaxy Girls’ Academy is the first and only Girls’ Academy program to be fully-funded by a Major League Soccer side, allowing talented local athletes to join free of charge. It will consist of U-14, U-15, U-16/17 and U-18/19 teams that will compete in the U.S. Soccer Girls’ Development Academy League.
“The LA Galaxy value women’s youth soccer development throughout Southern California and our country and this program is a testament to that,” said LA Galaxy President Chris Klein. “We are proud to become the only MLS club to provide the same opportunities for the development of youth women’s soccer as we have available to our boys, with free-of-charge access to grow as a player. We are excited to have a club legend like Kevin, who has already invested so much in this club throughout his career, lead this initiative.”
Hartman made 416 appearances with 411 starts across his career, including 243 appearances with the Galaxy, while recording a 1.21 GAA and 112 shutouts, a Major League Soccer record. He helped lead the LA Galaxy to two MLS Cups (2003, 2005), two Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cups (2001, 2005) and two MLS Supporters’ Shields (1998, 2002). He is second all-time for the LA Galaxy in starts (238) and minutes (21,735).
Each team will consist of up to 23 players from within a 75-mile radius of StubHub Center, home of the LA Galaxy. With their inclusion, the LA Galaxy now have created multiple possibilities for girls across Southern California to compete in the U.S. Soccer Girls’ Development Academy League, by complimenting their alliance youth club, LA Galaxy San Diego, who have already been admitted to the Development Academy program. StubHub Center and the LA Galaxy will now house the LA Galaxy, LA Galaxy II, LA Galaxy Academy boys and girls teams and the LA Galaxy Blended Learning Program, which will all operate within the stadium facilities.
Competitively, the program competition will feature local and regional matches as well as regional and national events with playing rules based on international standards, e.g., no re-entry, limited substitutions and proper rest and recovery periods. The season will be structured over a 10-month period and as in the Boys' Development Academy, the clubs will be organized by divisions and conferences with national and/or regional events incorporated into the overall program.
The U.S. Soccer Girls’ Development Academy League focuses on positively impacting everyday club environments to maximize elite female youth player development. Increasing the training to game ratio, playing fewer but more meaningful games and providing assistance for coaching education and development are just some of the standards and best practices the program will promote.
LA Galaxy Season Ticket Memberships for the 2017 MLS season are available for purchase now. Season Ticket Members and Galaxy fans can go to www.lagalaxy.com/tickets/seasontickets to secure their 2017 LA Galaxy Season Ticket package.
LA Galaxy single game tickets for the remainder of the 2017 MLS season are also available for purchase. Galaxy fans can go to www.lagalaxy.com/tickets or call 877.3GALAXY (342.5299) for information, purchasing, and special offers.
