This is the Los Angeles Galaxy: Chris Leitch

This is Part Three in a series of articles on the players who will be playing for the Los Angeles Galaxy in 2012.

For many players in the USA, Major League Soccer is the only league they have ever plied their trade in. Defender Chris Leitch is an example of such a player.

Having spent his time playing for three other clubs in MLS, with two clubs fortunate to receive two stints each, Leitch now plies his trade with the Los Angeles Galaxy, hoping to win an MLS Cup in 2012.

Leitch was born on April 1, 1979 in Pickerington, Ohio. Pickerington is a suburb of Columbus, the home of the Crew. A number of famous people have called Pickerington home with the most notable being NFL standout A.J. Trapasso, acrtress, Lindsay Hollister, and the Ryan brothers—Dan and Tom—of Halo 2 fame.

After playing prep soccer in his hometown, Leitch took his defending skills to the University of North Carolina, were he led the Tar Heels, then coached by Elmar Bolowich, to their first national title in 2001. During his time at Chapel Hill, Leitch set school records for career games played (81) and games started (87).

In the 2002 MLS SuperDraft, Leitch was selected as the 47th overall selection by the Crew. He was coming back home again. Leitch's first season, however, saw him receive limited playing time and as a result he only managed 13 appearences. He did win a US Open Cup as a member of the Crew.

In 2003, Leitch was traded to the MetroStars. The defender spent three seasons with the club, recorded 72 appearances in the back line. Although he was named the team's Defender of the Year in 2005, the MetroStars elected to waive Leitch and that allowed Columbus to pick him up again.

2006 was Leitch's final season in Columbus, and he made 24 appearances for the Crew before they waived him again, this time back to New York, at which point the club was rebranded as the New York Red Bulls.

From 2007-08, Leitch made 29 appearances in the backline and helped lead the club to an MLS Western Conference playoff championship, as well as an MLS Cup appearance.

In 2009, Leitch was traded to the San Jose Earthquakes for an undisclosed sum of allocation money and an international player slot, according to the San Jose Mercury News. That season was Leitch's best year with the Quakes, as he made 29 appearances while recording seven assists.

During his time in San Jose from 2009-11, Leitch made 58 league appearances. At the end of the season, the Los Angeles Galaxy, San Jose's rival to the south, picked up the rights to Leitch in the 2011 MLS Re-Entry Draft.

As Leitch prepares for his 11th season playing in Major League Soccer, he is aware that time is running out before he can finally lift what he couldn't lift in 2008.

With the capability to shoulder a defense in need of depth, Chris Leitch will aim to complete an act of redemption that will be four years in the making: win an MLS Cup.