LA Galaxy Special Olympics Unified Team hopes to promote inclusion

In April, the LA Galaxy and Herbalife hosted a photoshoot after signing 22 athletes to its Special Olympics Unified Team program for the 2025 season. Players had the opportunity to capture their official player card for the upcoming season and enjoy this milestone in their career. 

Herbalife announced early in April that it has renewed its support of the LA Galaxy Special Olympics Unified Team for the 2025 season. Special Olympic athletes from ages 16 to 25 access the same resources and support as the professional team. It includes nutrition education, training and access to professional team gear, travel, scrimmages and matches against other MLS Unified teams.

During signing day at Dignity Health Sports Park, athletes and their families were treated to an exclusive stadium tour, locker room access to see players suit up in their personalized uniforms and a nutrition session led by experts from the Herbalife Sport Performance team.

Gabriel Osollo, Director of Community Relations and Foundation, told CALÓ News that this partnership with Herbalife came to be through their joint community partnership. Herbalife funds different programs through LA Galaxy, specifically their Special Olympics program, as well as  various experiences such as their signing day, travel for away games and their first ever media day.

The LA Galaxy Special Olympics Unified team is part of the broader Special Olympics Unified Sports program designed to help unite athletes with and without intellectual disabilities to compete together as equals, promoting social inclusion through sportsmanship. The heart of this program is to provide these athletes with professional sports experience and celebrate their accomplishments to inspire others.

During the photoshoot, players visited different stations around Dignity Health Sports Park, capturing photos and footage while wearing the team’s latest gear. Along with participating in scrimmages and upcoming matches, the program hopes to highlight moments like this to help players overcome their obstacles, like anxiety, through teamwork.

These efforts are made by the LA Galaxy Special Olympics Unified Team and align with Herbalife’s mission to help others live their best lives through balanced nutrition, active lifestyles and commitment to wellness. During the season, the team also works with a Herbalife dietician to help them maintain a healthy diet and reach their health goals with the help of Herbalife supplements.

These resources and experiences show what the heart of this program really is — a way to provide these athletes with social inclusion built on-and-off the field. This fits into coach Cristian Ortiz’s motto of “playing unified,” something he strongly believes in and his reason why he decided to coach. 

Ortiz spoke to CALÓ News about how making connections between the players, coaches and the staff is important in the program and the impact it can have on-and-off the field. Ortiz now considers the connections that he’s made with the players since 2014 as family,  still staying in contact with them.

Ortiz had never played soccer when he was growing up, but coaching the team came naturally to him because of his job as an adaptive P.E. teacher. He learned more about the technical sides of soccer, like formations, through friends and family.

Ortiz also found it was important to build a relationship and trust with the parents by always greeting them at every practice. Ortiz says that the parents put a lot of faith in him and the rest of the coaching staff, establishing close relationships with the parents. “If I didn't have the connection with [the parents], I don't think they would be as lenient to let [the players] go with me,” he said.

Looking back, Ortiz considers this as one of the greatest experiences in his life and was glad he agreed to coach the team. 

Because of Ortiz’s efforts, new or returning players always feel excited to be a part of this program. Whether it’s passing drills, scrimmages or icebreakers, every athlete shared the same sentiment about going out there and having fun.

When a new player joins the program, one common obstacle shared by previous players is the anxiety of not knowing anyone or what to expect in tryouts. Herbalife-sponsored athletes Kenny Brito and Abraham Hernandez told CALÓ News that practicing together through drills and scrimmages has helped them grow closer with the other players.

“Once you start breaking a sweat with other players, you have to communicate with each other and that just makes things so much easier [to get acquainted],” said Hernandez.

The opportunity to be a part of this program and to stand next to the reigning champions on signing day, Hernandez said it was nerve-wracking for him. Brito, who is a returning player, shared similar feelings of nervousness and excitement to stand next to the LA Galaxy players during signing day. 

This partnership between the LA Galaxy Special Olympics and Herbalife aims to provide those sorts of moments and provide the “player experience" for these athletes. Without this partnership with Herbalife, Osollo said this program would not be able to fund those experiences, and the LA Galaxy is very thankful for that. 

The team opens the season with a home scrimmage against LAFC on Friday, May 16, at Dignity Health Sports Park.