January 31, 2011
CARSON, Calif. - The LA Galaxy announced Monday that the club have signed 16-year-old forward Jack McBean as a home grown player. The Newport Beach, Calif. native, who becomes the youngest player ever to sign for the Galaxy, is the first player to be signed directly from the Galaxy Academy since Tristan Bowen in 2008. McBean starred for the Galaxy Academy's U-16 team before being selected for the U.S. Under-17 Residency Program in Bradenton, Fla. earlier this month. He will remain with the U-17's through the completion of qualifying for this summer's FIFA U-17 World Cup before officially joining the Galaxy at a later date. Per club and league policy, terms of the contract were not disclosed.
"Jack is a player that I was immediately made aware of upon accepting my position with the Academy. He has shown tremendous growth and potential since joining our program and we believe that he this is more than ready to make this next step in his career," said Chris Klein, the Senior Director of the LA Galaxy Academy. "The goal of our Academy is to create a direct link through which our top young players like Jack can progress into our first team where they can continue their maturation and development in a professional environment."
McBean officially joined the Galaxy program in last summer at the age of 15 and immediately helped make the Galaxy U-16 squad one of the best in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy. He scored nine goals in his 10 games with the club, including a hat trick against South Carolina United FC at the annual Winter Showcase in Arizona. While at the Showcase, McBean also played in one of the Academy Select games, which brings a number of the nation's top young players together on the same field. In that game, McBean scored just five minutes after entering the match, leading his team to a 2-1 win.
In addition to playing for the Galaxy Academy in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy, the former Corona de Mar High School star also represented the club at the annual SUM U-17 Cup in Houston in July 2010.
"I am very excited to be given this opportunity to join the Galaxy and I can't wait to get back to California so that I can begin training with my new teammates," McBean said. "I am still growing and improving as a player and I believe that having the opportunity to train and play in this new environment will only make me better."
Prior to joining the Galaxy Academy, McBean helped the 94 Region IV Regional Team win a National Championship in December 2009.
