For an individual who has traveled the world playing soccer and been recognized as one of the best professional goalkeepers in history, Kevin Hartman is remarkably focused on community and family. Palos Verdes is the place where his abilities as a young soccer player were nurtured and refined, and where he has recently returned to live with his wife, Jennifer, and their two daughters.

Although Kevin has been part of the global world of soccer since 1997 and has an extraordinary record of accomplishments, his game plan is to keep looking ahead for ways he can continue to have an impact on the sport.

Kevin and his family moved to Palos Verdes from Virginia at 16 when his father became the business director at Chadwick School. He says that relocation was pivotal to his career as a soccer player. “Moving here gave me the opportunity to exercise my craft. The level of soccer was higher and the competition allowed me to evolve as a goalkeeper,” he says. “I started out as a field player and then the goalkeeper got hurt, so they put me in. I must've really enjoyed it because I was hooked from the get-go.

Today, Kevin is the Los Angeles Galaxy’s First Team Goalkeeping Coach working with other seasoned soccer coaches and a roster of world-class goalkeepers.

“I don't believe the expectations of a goalkeeper have ever been higher. The adversity that goalkeepers face is intense, and there is an expectation that you will be flawless in your performance,” he says. “Goalkeepers are seen as the basis of the start of every attack and have to play the ball out of the back understanding all the tactics - and they are expected to have 100 percent possession rate.”

Kevin uses his own experience to support LA Galaxy goalkeepers. As much as he loved it, he learned the position of goalkeeper can be isolating.

“If you concede a goal, your entire team turns back and play restarts. Anytime the ball goes into the back of the goal, something could've been done differently, and I saw it as an opportunity for me to do more,” he says. “As I matured as a soccer player, I saw how important it was to communicate with the guys in front of me. I planned for what was going to happen next.”

Despite the pressure, a goalkeeper doesn’t have to play alone.

“I have always seen the goalkeeper as a leader and someone who can contribute to the entire defense. It can be difficult to step up and take that responsibility, but a goalkeeper can use their voice and not be afraid to have conversations about accountability - and be accountable themselves,” he says. “That's what I ask of the guys I coach. Don't stand under the crossbar and wait for action to happen to them.”

During his early years, Kevin played for AYSO and Palos Verdes High School before attending California State Dominguez Hills and then transferring to UCLA. Kevin helped the Galaxy win CONCACAF Champion’s Cup in 2000, the U.S. Open Cup in 2001 and 2005, and the MLS Cup in 2002 and 2005. He played for soccer legends Marine Cano and Sigi Schmid.

“When I was 12 or 13, I decided I want to be a professional goalkeeper. I played for so long, and I was fortunate to get do something I loved for 17 years professionally. And 10 years of that were in Los Angeles. It's amazing to play for as long as that,” Kevin says.

Kevin has the record for more saves than any other goalkeeper in MLS history, and was the MLS Goalkeeper of the Year in 1999. He retired from professional soccer in 2013 after 17 Major League Soccer seasons and 37,260 minutes on the field as a player for the Los Angeles Galaxy, FC Dallas and New York Red Bulls.

In the same way the goalkeeper can unite the team, the game of soccer creates cohesion among its players and participants. “Soccer in the community is very important. It supports the growth of people’s core values and positively influences communities. And there’s almost a 12-month per year soccer cycle. I'm always excited to be a part of it,” Kevin says.

Kevin is part of the cycle of a couple of sports in addition to soccer. His daughter Chloe, 17, plays lacrosse, and Charlotte, 10, is busy with several activities including softball and chess. Kevin's family, including his sister and brother-in-law and his parents, all live in the PV area, and they gather as often as possible

When he's not volunteering for his daughters’ athletic teams, or spending time with his extended family, Kevin is busy studying. He is currently enrolled in Kelley Business School earning his MBA. When he was drafted by the LA Galaxy in 1997, he left UCLA with two unfinished quarters of classes.

Kevin already makes an impact where over he goes, from the international soccer community to his hometown, but completing his degree has been a long-time goal and will enhance his contributions to the sport. Data, marketing, and leadership are integral parts of the game now more than ever.

Soccer isn’t one of the United States’ most visible sports, but its fans and its reach are evolving, and Kevin has seen soccer in the U.S. expand at the youth, college and professional levels. He says not only has men's pro soccer made advancements in the United States, but women's professional soccer is also experiencing growth.

“People have had the opportunity to watch professional soccer at a high-level for 30 years, now. My parents didn't grow up with the game. But I'm 50 years old, and I played from a very young age, so I’ve seen the opportunities to play and watch soccer in the United States change dramatically,” he says. “I do my best to advocate for the sport. It's given me so much in my life. The 2026 World Cup is coming and it’s a chance for more growth. We will see things headed in the right direction.”

Like a true goalkeeper, Kevin is always ready for the next play.

Photo credit: Melissa Bean Sterzick <mbsterzick@gmail.com>

SUBSCRIBE FREE TO PALOS VERDES PULSE

Melissa Bean Sterzick is a professional freelance writer, editor and proofreader. Melissa has a bachelor’s degree in Journalism and has worked for publications including The Deseret News and The Dallas Morning News. She loves the beach, gardening, yoga, and tennis. She lives in the Los Angeles area with her husband, two daughters, and cat.