PIONEER – SOCCER
Brian Ching
Brian was the first Native Hawaiian selected in the MLS draft and the first Hawai’i-born player to play internationally representing the U.S. His soccer career started when he was 7 years old, under the condition that his mom was to be their soccer coach for Brian and his two brothers.
Brian continued to excel in soccer and while at Kamehameha Schools, Brian played his junior and senior year, and played club ball as well. During a tournament on the mainland, he was noticed by the Gonzaga University coaching staff who offered Brian a college scholarship which he
accepted.
In the 2001 MLS draft, the Los Angeles Galaxy drafted him as the 16th overall pick. In 2002, Brian played for the Seattle Sounders, and then he played for the San Jose Earthquakes from 2003 to 2005. From 2006 to his retirement in 2013, Brian played for the Houston Dynamo.
In 2003, he was a member of the U.S. national team and in 2006 became a member of the U.S. FIFA World Cup team. In 2010, he was named to the preliminary FIFA World Cup squad but unfortunately did not make the final 23 man roster.
After retiring in 2013 with the Houston Dynamos as the team’s all-time leading scorer, and veteran leader on and off the field, Brian was named as the managing director for the Houston Dash of the National Women’s Soccer League.
Video: https://youtu.be/ie9MohFFn9s
Leave a Reply