Hometown legend Brian Ching was honored by both houses of the Hawaii Legislature Wednesday, prior to the start of the Pan Pacific Championship. Upon his return to Honolulu, Ching was presented a proclimation from the Hawaii State Senate.
The proclimation was presented by State Senator Robert Bunda. Bunda also said the following to his fellow lawmakers upon Ching's arrival at the Capitol: "As many of you know from all the media coverage, recently, four professional soccer teams are in town for the first Pan-Pacific Soccer Championship tournament.
Along with them are some of soccer's brightest stars, including the North Shore's own Brian Ching of the Houston Dynamo.
I am very proud to identify Brian's roots as coming from our North Shore. But in fact, all of Hawaii should be very proud of the accomplishments of this home-grown athlete.
A native of the town of Haleiwa and a graduate of Kamehameha School, Brian was the first soccer player from Hawaii to be chosen in Major League Soccer's draft in 2001.
Prior to embarking on his professional career, he played for Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington and led his team to two league championships and was a two-time conference all-star.
As a professional, he has become one of soccer's most prolific strikers, scoring 44 regular goals in his six-year MLS career, helping his teams win three league championships.
He is also the only Hawaiian to ever make the U.S. World Cup team.
But for Brian, it has not been all about gathering awards and accolades.
Every year, he has return to the Islands to conduct soccer clinics and encourage young local players to chase their dreams.
For him, home has been a place where his roots and heart has remained-a place to encourage others to fulfill their dreams and give back to the community.
And so it is with great pride that I introduce our own boy from Haleiwa-Hawaii's own Brian Ching."
CHING WAS THEN PRESENTED WITH THE FOLLOWING PROCLIMATION:
CERTIFICATE OF CONGRATULATIONS
BRIAN CHING
HAWAII'S FIRST PROFESSIONAL MLS SOCCER PLAYER
Brian Ching, a native of Haleiwa, Hawaii, is one of Major League Soccer´s most prolific strikers, having scored 44 regular season goals in his six-year MLS career, winning three MLS championships and becoming the only Hawaiian to ever make the U.S. World Cup team.
Brian grew up surfing along the North Shore of Oahu and took up soccer at the age seven playing on an American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO) team on the condition that his mom would serve as the team coach. Stephanie Whalen, a single mom who raised Brian and his two brothers, could not have done a better job of inspiring her son to achieve greatness in the sport of soccer, as his coach, as his mentor and as his mom.
Brian did more than excel at soccer. After graduating from Kamehameha in 1996, Ching went to Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington where he was a two-time conference all-star and led Gonzaga to two league championships. Following a prolific collegiate career, he was drafted 16th overall by the Los Angeles Galaxy in 2001, becoming the first soccer player from Hawaii to be chosen in the MLS draft in 2001.
Although Brian played in only eight games before being released from the team he was undiscouraged. He redoubled his efforts in soccer's minor leagues and finished second in the league in scoring. In 2003, he was brought back to the MLS, this time with the San Jose Earthquakes, and has excelled ever since. He also made his first national team appearance that year. In 2004, he enjoyed a breakout season, leading the Earthquakes in scoring and making the league's Best XI All-Star team and was recognized as the MLS Comeback Player of the Year.
But the man who raised his jersey in an MLS All-Star Game to reveal a ''Hawaiian Superman" t-shirt has not forgotten his roots. Since becoming a professional soccer player, Ching has come home to Hawaii every December to conduct soccer clinics and give back to the community.
Therefore, the Senate of the Twenty-Fourth Legislature of the State of Hawaii hereby commends and congratulates Brian Ching, his mother and family for his outstanding career in soccer and his contributions to youth sports in Hawaii and extends its best wishes to him in all of his future endeavors.
