CARSON, Calif. – Heading into his eighth season with the LA Galaxy, A.J. DeLaGarza is an institution at the club and a dedicated member of his community.
But, it wasn’t always like this.
Drafted out of the University of Maryland in 2009, DeLaGarza arrived in Southern California that year as a fresh-faced youngster anxious to begin his professional career. Now seven years later, DeLaGarza is the longest-tenured member of the club and a fan favorite.
Throughout that time, DeLaGarza understands that his relationship with the city has changed considerably.
“Where I came from, there were acres of land. I was used to green space, and you get none of that here. In LA, you have three houses on a lot or condos, so that everyone is on top of each other,” DeLaGarza said. “When I first came here, Omar and I were looking at houses in totally different areas that we wouldn’t be looking at nowadays. We didn’t know what was good and what wasn’t. The way that I’ve changed shows what seven years does to you.”
Aside from his second year in the league, when he saved money for his impending marriage by living with relatives in nearby Bellflower, DeLaGarza has spent the entirety of his Galaxy career in the South Bay.
With each passing year in Los Angeles, his relationship with the city evolved. DeLaGarza initially lived with college teammate and former Galaxy defender Omar Gonzalez but after one year with his friend, DeLaGarza began to focus on his building a family. To save money to marry his college sweetheart Megan, DeLaGarza spent a year with his family in Bellflower before returning to the South Bay with his new bride.
DeLaGarza and Megan finally completed this purchase last year when they bought a home in north Redondo Beach, where they live with their infant daughter Noelle.
“You experience so much life here. It’s not what I’m used to after growing up surrounded by space in Maryland, but I was lucky enough to find a place in Redondo Beach that has a yard, and parks all around it. I think it’s a great place to raise children,” DeLaGarza said. “It’s crazy, I love it here, and I never see myself wanting to live anywhere else outside the South Bay.”
DeLaGarza is one of more than 10 Galaxy players who have settled in one of the South Bay’s Beach Cities. While others may choose to live outside the area known as “the bubble,” DeLaGarza believes that living in the beach communities are perfect for professional athletes.
“For guys who grew up here like Gyasi or Robbie Rogers, they don’t care to live by the beach, but guys who are from different states and countries, it’s where they want to be. If you have an off day, the beach is the place you want to be,” DeLaGarza said. “When you’re having a bad go for a couple of games, you just go the beach and just sit there. It helps you get lost in your thoughts and refocus your thinking because it feels like a vacation every single day.”
Given his close connection the area and his new family, don’t expect DeLaGarza to leave the South Bay anytime soon.
“I love the South Bay,” DeLaGarza says. “I can’t imagine living anywhere else.”
After seven years in Los Angeles, DeLaGarza discovered quite a few favorite stops in the South Bay, below are some of his favorites:
- Rinaldi's Deli of Redondo Beach
- Izakaya in Manhattan Beach
- Slider Stop in North Redondo Beach
- Del Amo Fashion Center in Torrance
Adam Serrano is the LA Galaxy Insider. Read his blog atLAGalaxy.com/Insiderand contact him atLAGalaxyInsider@Gmail.com
