 |
|
Chung has twice been selected for Major League Soccer’s Fair Play award. Photo courtesy of Starwest Productions.
|
Mark Chung: American Soccer’s Coolest Man
By Brian Kluepfel
Special to AsianWeek
All-star soccer player Mark Chung pretty much defines the word “multicultural.” Born in Toronto of Chinese Jamaican parents, Chung grew up in Florida, and his professional career in Major League Soccer has included stops in Kansas City, New York and now Colorado, where he excels as a midfielder for Denver’s Rapids.
Chung lived in Toronto until the age of 12 when the family moved to Florida. In March 2000, his adopted hometown of Pembroke Pines had a “Mark Chung Day” in his honor. Having the choice among three national teams in the early ‘90’s, he chose to play for the United States over Canada or Jamaica because “they were the stronger team at the time.”
Chung went on to play at the University of South Florida. His first professional experience came with the Continental Indoor Soccer League’s San Diego Sockers in 1995. He made a stunning debut, netting 29 goals and 22 assists to win the CISL Rookie of the Year award. This success put him on the radar of the newly-formed Major League Soccer association, and when the nascent organization had its first draft in 1996, Chung was the sixth player chosen overall.
He went on to register double-digits in either goals or assists in two of the next six seasons, three in Kansas City and three in New York. The MetroStars probably still rue the day they cut him loose last winter, and Colorado picked him up.
Coach Tim Hankinson counts on Chung to add punch to the Rapids’ offense. “He is one of the best wing midfielders, who can take a shot from either side, and one of the best flank players in the league,” said the coach. “He was a great pickup for us.”
For the second time in his career, Chung was chosen as a member of the league’s elite “Best XI,” and for the third time represented his team in the annual All-Star game.
In a 5-2 thrashing of New England this season, Chung scored in the very first minute of play and then again 30 minutes later. He was named the Player of the Week for that effort, and for a similar two-goal show the following week. He led the Rapids in scoring this season, tallying double-digits in both goals (11) and assists (10) on a team that includes international stars like Colombian Carlos Valderrama and Scotsman John Spencer.
Chung may be known to opposing defenders for his rare combination of offensive skills, but there is one characteristic that truly sets him apart from his MLS counterparts: an unflappable demeanor. Chung was named the league’s Fair Play award winner for the second time this season (he also won the award in 1997 as a member of Kansas City Wizards). The award denotes the player who is the best sportsman on the pitch.
Chung started 32 regular-season and playoff matches for the Rapids, and did not receive one disciplinary sanction. Remarkably, for a player who has logged the second-most games and minutes in MLS history, Chung has received only four cautions (yellow cards) in seven complete seasons. Most amazing is his refusal to retaliate — he was the most-fouled player (456) in that same time span.
The one opportunity that has eluded the 32-year old is a chance to play for the ultimate prize. He’s played 24 times for the U.S. National Team, but not in a World Cup match. In this year’s playoffs, Chung’s sudden-death overtime header knocked the Dallas Burn out of the quarterfinal with Colorado, but the Rapids were eliminated by eventual champion Los Angeles in the MLS Cup semifinals. But you know, no matter what happens to Mark Chung, he’ll remain a cool customer.
|
