LA Galaxy Invest $1 Million to Enhance Girls’ Academy Training Fields at StubHub Center
Renovations establish Field 7 at StubHub Center as the official training fields of AEG’s LA Galaxy Girls’ Academy; LA Galaxy Girls Academy to begin training this summer ahead of inaugural season of U.S. Soccer Girls’ Development Academy League
LOS ANGELES (June 9, 2017) – AEG’s LA Galaxy announced that the club has invested $1 million to renovate Field 7 at StubHub Center, which will be used as the official training fields for AEG’s LA Galaxy Girls’ Academy. The renovations, which are set to be completed this summer in advance of the LA Galaxy Girls’ Academy inaugural season, will see the installation of AstroTurf’s cutting-edge DT32 System will replace the existing crumb rubber synthetic field in addition to implementing enhanced field lighting.
“We’re excited to implement these upgrades to Field 7 ahead of the start of the LA Galaxy Girls’ Academy 2017 season,” said LA Galaxy Girls’ Academy Director Kevin Hartman. “We will continue to invest in resources for our Girls’ Academy to ensure a top-class environment that is on par with all LA Galaxy teams that train at StubHub Center. Establishing a high-quality training field that will be available exclusively to our girls is a big step for our program.”
As part of the renovations, the Galaxy will install Zeofill, a non-crumb rubber, organic mineral found in water filtration systems and health food supplements, that will be used across all playing surfaces on Field 7. ZeoFill’s ability to retain water helps reduce surface temperatures and delivers an exceptional playing surface designed for high use and performance, all while eliminating the use of crumb rubber. This venue upgrade comes in support of the Los Angeles Department of Recreation & Parks “LA Spec” initiative to replace crumb rubber synthetic fields with non-crumb rubber fields across Los Angeles. When properly maintained, non-crumb rubber fields offer superior playing surfaces as well as added environmental and economic advantages over time. In addition to the improved playing surface, the LA Galaxy and StubHub Center will install an improved lighting system that will fully-illuminate the field with high-grade lights.
In addition to Field 7, the LA Galaxy Girls’ Academy will have access to the same StubHub Center training facilities, locker rooms and weight areas as the LA Galaxy (MLS), LA Galaxy II (USL) and LA Galaxy Academy (USSDA).
The upgrades to Field 7 take place in advance of the launch of the LA Galaxy Girls’ Academy, which is set to kick off this fall in the first-ever season of the U.S. Soccer Girls’ Development Academy League. Prior to the start of the season, a full roster of the first-ever LA Galaxy Girls’ Academy will be released and training will begin at StubHub Center this summer.
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ABOUT THE LA GALAXY GIRLS’ ACADEMY
Founded in 2016 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. 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.
ABOUT THE U.S. SOCCER GIRLS’ DEVELOPMENT ACADEMY
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. 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.