CARSON, Calif. -- The LA Galaxy's trip to the White House on Monday to celebrate last year's MLS Cup championship is, of course, a massive honor -- everyone with the organization says so -- and especially to share it with the Los Angeles Kings, the NHL Stanley Cup champions also owned by AEG.
For A.J. DeLaGarza, it means even more.
DeLaGarza, who grew up in nearby Bryans Road, Md., will use the trip to visit his son, Luca, who lived just a week last summer and was laid to rest near the home of the defender's parents.
“I'm looking forward to going back home, get to see my family as well ...,” DeLaGarza said on the eve of LA's Sunday trek to Washington ahead of Monday's ceremony with President Obama. “I already asked for permission [from the team] to go [visit Luca's grave]. He just got his headstone, so I want to go there and see him and take a look at that.
“It's always a special moment when I go home. I can kind of do all that in one visit.”
The DC layover complicates a heavy preseason schedule for the Galaxy, who don't return to Southern California until Wednesday, then leave a week later on an 11-day trek to Europe, where they will face AEG-owned Swedish club Hammarby in Stockholm and Ireland's Shamrock Rovers in Dublin. LA hopes to scrimmage Georgetown University's team while in the capital.
Head coach Bruce Arena likes the timing of the White House visit.
“It's always nice to get it over before the season starts, because sometimes [when it happens] during the season, it's a distraction,” he said. “But it's a tremendous honor [and] we're honored to be there with the Kings, no question about it. I think it's great the two teams can again celebrate together at the White House.”
The Galaxy and Kings were honored together in May 2013 following championships the previous year.
“It doesn't get old,” defender Todd Dunivant said. “If you asked anyone in the league, they'd want to go on this trip. ... It's an honor and a pleasure for us, so to do it during preseason is nice. You don't have to do it during the year and sort of have that distraction. To get it out of the way is nice.”
Midfielder Stefan Ishizaki, a Swede who arrived last year in America, is excited for personal reasons.
“I'm going to say there's not been a lot of Swedes at the White House,” he said. “Probably only, like, the king and the prime minister and stuff like that. To go and meet with the president and be in the White House, it's a big deal.”
Scott French covers the LA Galaxy for MLSsoccer.com.
