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Just For Kicks Al Chase |
Ching makes
history for HawaiiWhen Brian Ching was substituted into the United States vs. Wales international soccer match by national team manager Bruce Arena in the 75th minute Memorial Day, it was significant for Hawaii soccer.
The San Jose Earthquakes striker from Kamehameha is the first local player to participate for the U.S. men's team. Ching played the final 17 minutes and almost scored his first international goal. He cut left to right across the goal mouth, first-touched Ernie Stewart's pass but saw his volley go just wide of the right post.
Ching plays along side national team member Landon Donovan for San Jose and thinks that experience will help him get more calls from Arena.
John and Vangie Hong, recently received well-deserved honor. They have been named the Hawaii Youth Soccer Association 2003 Chevy Parents of the Year. This is recognition for their hours of volunteer work with the Honolulu Bulls, and with the Olympic Development Program and State Selection Camps. They now are eligible to be named National Chevy parents of the Year.
Their grand daughter, Tiara Hong, a defensive midfielder for Pac-Five and a recent University High graduate, also made her long-awaited college choice recently. She took official visits to Baylor, Cal State Bakersfield, George Washington, Oregon State and San Jose State before deciding to play in the Pacific 10 Conference for OSU.
"Overall, I'll be in a conference that has the best teams. I want to see if I can play at that level," said Hong who will receive an athletic scholarship and plans to major in premed.
Ricky Shinn has signed a letter of intent to play for the nationally ranked Southern Methodist Mustangs this fall.
The Pearl City graduate will play defense for coach Schellas Hyndman who has won 78 percent of the matches he has coached in 20 seasons at SMU.
"I visited the campus a couple of weeks ago and it was impressive," said Shinn who plans to major in biology. "Some of the soccer guys showed me around and they were really cool guys. The campus is only about five minutes from Dallas so there is plenty to do."
Ricky's older brothers, Randy and Bobby, who played for York College in Nebraska last year, are transferring to Pacific University in Forest Grove, Ore., for academic reasons and will continue to play soccer.
Randy is planning to major in optometry and Pacific has one of the best programs in the country. Bobby is looking at either civil engineering or business management.
Erin Kishimoto, the goalkeeper on Mililani's state runner-up team, made her choice based on academics after considering George Washington, Puget Sound and University of the Pacific in Stockton, Calif.
The Pacific Tigers won out when Kishimoto was accepted into the school's pharmacy program and awarded a substantial academic scholarship.
Tim Picerno, who played both defense and in the midfield for Damien, has decided to attend St. Mary's in Moraga, Calif., and try out for the soccer team as a walk-on.
Makena Carr, a sweeper from Punahou, will attend Washington and play club soccer. He will decide after his freshman season if he has the time to try for a spot on the varsity roster.
See the Columnists section for some past articles. Just for Kicks runs every other Sunday in the Star-Bulletin.
Al Chase can be reached at achase@starbulletin.com