Andrew Fasano
Staff Writer
This year, former Costa student sophomore Ian Lonergan scored an opportunity to attend a school that will take him to a high level in soccer.
The Los Angeles Galaxy Academy, a youth soccer program, launched a high school this year, the L.A. Galaxy Academy, that players are required to attend in order to play for their club soccer team. Lonergan started playing for the L.A. Galaxy Academy when he was 11 years old. He currently plays defender and is the co-captain on the Boys 16 Galaxy Academy team.
“I decided to leave Costa for this program because I feel that the new school is the most effective way to get to a higher level in soccer,” Lonergan said.
In this program, the students attend school five days a week, with two training sessions a day. They train before and after class each school day while taking six academic classes.
“The L.A. Galaxy takes our academic needs just as seriously as they take our soccer,” Lonergan said. “They make the courses challenging and have small class sizes, all in an attempt to accommodate all of their student-athletes.”
The L.A. Galaxy Academy, as a soccer club, has only been in existence for a little over five years. According to the school, its goal is to develop each of its players from age 12 and older, in order for them to someday be good enough to play at the next level.
“I would love to play at the highest level possible,” Lonergan said. “Soccer is a passion of mine, and I’ve worked extremely hard at it for my entire life, so someday I hope to be able to play at a Division I school and, eventually, at the professional level.”
According to Lonergan, one of the purposes of the program is to create team chemistry between teammates and help cut down the players’ time spent driving to and from practice. The program also aims to send players to the college and professional levels of soccer.
“The good thing about the program is that it allows elite athletes, like Ian, to travel and not get behind on his school work,” Lonergan’s mother, Rebecca Lonergan, said.
Lonergan is currently taking United States Histroy, Honors Algebra, Spanish, Honors Chemistry, and a computer-based elective. According to Lonergan, his favorite part of the Academy is the he is able to spend more time with his teammates outside of soccer.
“We just have to see if the academic quality at the L.A. Galaxy Academy is as good as a regular public school, such as Mira Costa, where Ian previously attended school,” Rebecca Lonergan said.
After being recruited by the school, players who have made the team are eligible to enroll in the new school. According to Ian Lonergan, each player that makes the team is required to be dedicated and hard-working, both in classroom and on the field.
“I love that the school was created because it is going to help the players get better,” Lonergan’s father, John Lonergan, said. “The LA Galaxy Academy also helps kids to reach their dreams and achieve their full potential.”
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