LA Galaxy Creates New Youth Program
- Updated: July 24, 2015
(Photo via Twitter User @LAGalaxy)
The MLS is a great place for youth’s to get involved in soccer. Many colleges are now big contenders in the collegiate arena, and they are seeing the talent from a young age. The LA Galaxy are taking advantage of this.
The team announced yesterday that they have created and implemented a high school program, at Stub Hub Center, that is the first of it’s kind. It will be in full force for the Fall 2015 school semester.
The official website explains the program as a, “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 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 Academy will allow students to be treated as if they were LA Galaxy players. They will be able to learn, train, and workout in the Stub Hub Center and will participate in the same training schedule as LA Galaxy and LA Galaxy II professionals. This allows the students to be unified with the professionals and creates a sense of pride that they too are a part of the Galaxy family. Academy Director Pete Vagenas said the following, as reported by the team’s official website.
“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. 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.”
Classes will be held on the Dominguez Hills campus and the students of the Academy will be taught in the form of Blended Learning. Full-time, credentialed educators will be used as personal counselors and each student athlete will be supplemented by tutors in order to achieve the best possible results. A rigorous and “successful online-based program as the guiding curriculum” will also be a main component of the program. The Academy will allow educators to teach, facilitate and cater to each student’s learning while using the advanced online-based curriculum, mentioned above, as a foundation.
The official website writes the following:
“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.
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.”
For more information visit LAGalaxy.com.
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