Hartman Is Constant for Galaxy
This was not a normal week for the Galaxy.
Mired in fifth place in the Western Conference standings, the team set about reshaping its lineup.
First came a trade, forward Welton for midfielder Roy Myers of the New York/New Jersey MetroStars. Then came talk of signing defender Mohammad Khakpour from the Iranian national team and bringing back former Galaxy forward Harut Karapetyan.
To top it off, maintenance work at the Rose Bowl forced the players to practice at USC.
Amid all this, perhaps the steadiest presence on the field was the guy with the bleached hair and orange-and-black striped socks.
Kevin Hartman has the look of an emerging star in his second full season at goalkeeper. Entering today’s game against the Kansas City Wizards at the Rose Bowl, Hartman led Major League Soccer with five shutouts and an 0.64 goals against average.
Part of his success can be attributed to a defense that has given up only 39 shots on goal. Other leading keepers such as Matt Jordan of the Dallas Burn and Scott Garlick of the Tampa Bay Mutiny have faced as many as 65 shots. On those occasions when Hartman has been tested, the 25-year-old has shown poise and maturity.
“This year, coming back, I’ve just felt comfortable,” he said. “If you’re comfortable, you make better decisions.”
That’s crucial for a keeper whose play can be as daring as his fashion sense. Hartman likes to burst from the goal, leaping to grab corner kicks and smothering long passes before opposing forwards can get a shot off. As Coach Sigi Schmid says, he “has a flair that some keepers don’t.”
This season, he also has the nerve to keep his team in tight games. And, with the Galaxy struggling on offense, every game has been tight.
“Last year, we’d score five goals and nobody cared if you gave one up,” Hartman said. “This year, it’s 0-0 and you can’t give up that goal. Obviously there’s more pressure.”
It won’t get easier with Cobi Jones and Robin Fraser soon to leave for the national team and Eastern Conference leaders Chicago and D.C. United looming on the schedule. Hartman shrugs it off with the aplomb of a young keeper gaining confidence each week.
“If you doubt yourself, other people will doubt you,” he said. “If you make a decision to go, you go with all you have.”
