The Galaxy have permanently shuttered their elite girls’ soccer academy, leaving more than 80 girls looking for new places to play.
The decision to close the first girls’ academy to be fully funded by an MLS team was made two weeks after the U.S. Soccer Federation ended its support of the nationwide boys’ and girls’ development academy program.
“At present, having a girls’ academy wasn’t tenable for us as a club in the current environment,” club spokesman Brendan Hannan said.
Kevin Hartman, the two-time MLS Cup champion goalkeeper who was director of the 3½-year-old academy, will remain with the Galaxy as part of the soccer operations department.