Brian Ching (born May 24, 1978) is an American former professional soccer player who played for twelve years in Major League Soccer and represented the U.S. national team for eight years. Ching's professional career began when he was the 16th pick overall by the Los Angeles Galaxy in the 2001 MLS SuperDraft, making him the first Gonzaga player and the first player from his native Hawaii selected in the MLS draft. After winning the U.S. Open Cup with Los Angeles, Ching was released from the team and played with the second division Seattle Sounders. He returned to first division soccer when the San Jose Earthquakes acquired him in the 2003 MLS Supplemental Draft. He won an MLS Cup and Supporters' Shield with the Earthquakes, collected the MLS Comeback Player of the Year Award, the MLS Golden Boot, and was named to the MLS Best XI. In 2006, Ching relocated to Houston when the Earthquakes became the Houston Dynamo. He led the team to back-to-back MLS Cup Championships in 2006 and 2007 and four MLS finals overall. A six-time MLS All-Star, Ching retired from professional soccer in 2013 as Houston Dynamo's all-time leading scorer. Ching made his international debut May 26, 2003, becoming the first Hawaiian-born player to represent the United States. He became the first Hawaiian to be named to the U.S. roster for the 2006 FIFA World Cup, although he did not see any playing time. His only international silverware is the 2007 Gold Cup. Off the field, Ching is a pillar in the Houston community where he is partnered with Habitat for Humanity to build homes for underprivileged families in the Houston area through fundraising efforts under his program "The House that Ching Built". Early life 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 7, agreeing to only if his mother would coach. 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 6 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