Brian Ching

Los Angeles Galaxy (2001) and Seattle Sounders (2001–2002)

Ching began his professional career when the Los Angeles Galaxy drafted him as the 16th overall pick of the 2001 MLS SuperDraft. Los Angeles chose midfielder Brian Mullan and forward Isaias Bardales Jr. in the first round, 9th and 11th respectively, before picking Ching with their fourth pick in the second round. Ching was the first ever Hawaiian selected in the MLS draft. Ching joined a roster that included U.S. Soccer Hall of Fame players Cobi Jones, Alexi Lalas, and Paul Caligiuri, Mexico's top World Cup scorer Luis Hernández, Mauricio Cienfuegos, Ezra Hendrickson, Danny Califf, Kevin Hartman and was coached by Sigi Schmid. Ching wore the number 9 jersey with Los Angeles. Ching made his MLS debut against San Jose on April 7, 2001, as a member of the starting lineup. During the 2001 season, Ching appeared in eight games (starting one) and recorded one goal and one assist. Ching started and played the full match in his U.S. Open Cup debut, a 5–0 victory over the Nashville Metros at Titan Stadium on June 27, 2001, in the second round. Ching went the full 90 again in Los Angeles' 3–1 victory over the Seattle Sounders Select where he provided the assist to Isaias Bardales' 81st-minute goal, the Galaxy's third of the match. Those would be Ching's only appearances in the 2001 tournament as the Los Angeles Galaxy went on to win their first U.S. Open Cup trophy in franchise history. Ching made his MLS Cup Playoffs…

Although having a Chinese background, and being contacted by the Chinese Football Association to play for the Chinese team, Ching still earned his first cap with the U.S. national team on May 26, 2003, as a substitute in a friendly match against Wales at Spartan Stadium (home stadium of Ching's club at the time, San Jose Earthquakes). He is the first Hawaiian and the second Chinese-American (after Mark Chung) to play for the United States. Ching scored his first international goal, an equalizer in the 88th minute, in a World Cup qualifier 1–1 tie against Jamaica in Kingston on August 18, 2004. On May 2, 2006, Ching was named to the U.S. men's squad for the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany but did not make an appearance in the tournament. He scored a goal in a 2–0 US CONCACAF Gold Cup victory over Trinidad and Tobago on June 9, 2007. He drew a penalty in the box of the second half of the Gold Cup Final against Mexico. Landon Donovan converted the penalty, tying the game at one. The USA won 2–1 after Benny Feilhaber's game winner. Ching was called in to the USA side to face Barbados in the first round of CONCACAF World cup Qualifying for the 2010 World Cup. He then scored two goals in the US team's largest victory ever, 8–0. On May 11, 2010, Ching was named to the preliminary U.S. men's squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa but did not make the final 23-man roster.

Club

As of December 18, 2013

Note that:

Cells marked with an em dash (—) indicate the player did not participate in that competition because the club did not qualify, was eliminated, or the player was no longer with the club before the start of the competition. In competitions where the player has zero appearances, the club qualified and played in that competition and the player was registered and eligible to play. Player did not appear due to injury or was not selected by the coach.

Ching lost his father, Francis, to cancer on December 25, 1992, when he was 14 years old. Stephanie Whalen, Ching's mother, raised him and his two brothers as a single parent. Ching did not play soccer until he was seven years old, agreeing to only if his mother would coach. Ching is one quarter Chinese and one quarter Native Hawaiian. Ching attended Kamehameha Schools Kapālama High School in Honolulu and played in the soccer team in his junior and senior year. He was named as the Interscholastic League of Honolulu's MVP during his senior year with 14 goals and six assists. His junior year he was a second team All-ILH selection. During his last year of high school Ching played with the Honolulu Bulls Soccer Club, a club team, and traveled to tournaments on the mainland where he was noticed by the Gonzaga coaching staff. He went on to play for the Gonzaga Bulldogs men's soccer program under head coach Einar Thorarinsson, whom Ching credits "for believing in him and providing him the skills to grow and mature to be able to compete at the next level." During his collegiate career, Ching played for the Spokane Shadow of the Premier Development Soccer League (where Gonzaga coach Einar Thorarinsson was also the coach of the Shadow) and set a total of 21 goals during his stint in the 1998 and 1999 seasons. Ching was named the PDSL rookie of the year in 1998.

Collegiate career

Ching joined the Bulldogs for the 1996 season, and as a freshman played in 18 matches with five…