San Diego SportsThe San Diego Sockers are San Diegans
Playing for San Diego’s Kids When you come out to support the new San Diego Sockers you will be supporting local San Diego athletes. This is different from most professional sports teams that are not typically comprised of players that actually grew up in the city that they represent. Even more seldom do young professional athletes get a chance to play with some of the same players on the same teams that inspired them when they were children. On November 7, the new San Diego Sockers will change all of that, as they will be a team primarily comprised of homegrown talent. Among the recognizable players will be Paul Wright an alum of Grossmont High School. Wright first joined the Sockers in 1990. That year the Sockers won the Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL) Championship and Wright was considered an unsung hero of the championship. Wright remained with the Sockers until 1992 when MISL and the Sockers closed their doors for the first time. Ten years later a new MISL was formed and the Sockers returned with Wright as a member of the team. Do to financial reasons that Sockers team folded in January 2005. Now 40 years old, Wright will be returning with the Sockers: The new Sockers team is an expansion team of the already financially viable Professional Arena Soccer League (PASL). Joining Wright will be Diego Rovira who was a fan of Wrights as a young soccer player. Rovira said, “I remember giving him a high-five after one of the games that they won.” Raised in University City, Rovira played soccer for the La Jolla Nomads and in High School for La Jolla Country Day. Rovira then played Division I soccer for St. Mary’s. As Wright is a rarity for playing a professional sport at the age of 40, Rovira is unique in that he is making his professional debut at the age of 27. Do to injuries Rovira was not able to play Major League Soccer (MLS) out of college. Rovira is excited to now play for the team that originally inspired him. “I grew up in San Diego and I remember watching the Sockers growing up and going to the games at the Sports Arena.” Kraig Chiles is another local to make the new Sockers team. Chiles played for Poway High School where he remains one of the Titans all-time leaders in goals scored. Chiles then attended San Diego State University (SDSU); a member of the PAC-10 for soccer and Chiles was named to the All-PAC-10 team for three consecutive years. Chiles was then drafted 9th overall by Club Deportivo Chivas USA in the 2008 MLS Supplemental Draft. He made his MLS debut for Chivas against FC Dallas on April 20, 2008. Chiles recalled, “We were playing every day and it was a really good learning experience. I think I really improved my game. However, it was tough for me to find a consistent role on the team.” Frustrated with his lack of playing time at the conclusion of the season, Chiles elected to come back to San Diego to finish up the three remaining classes that he needed for his degree in Criminal Justice. Meanwhile the Sockers started up again giving Chile the opportunity to get constant playing time. Chiles exclaimed, “I grew up watching the Sockers a lot as a kid with my brothers and my friends so it is cool to get a chance to play with them!” Wright, Rovira, and Chiles are among just a few of the San Diegans that will be on the Sockers team. In all, approximately 90% of the team will be locals. A concept Wright loves, “I have always thought that we have had the best players here in San Diego.” Wright should know, since last retiring from the Sockers Wright has been working with San Diego’s kids as the founder of Speed to Burn in Solana Beach, a training center that develops speed and agility for young athletes of all sports. It is this next generation of San Diego athletes that Wright and the rest of the Sockers are hoping will support the team. Regarding San Diego’s kids coming out to the Sockers games, Wright said, “It is extremely important and one of the main reasons why I am back doing this.” Wright believes that if kids can see that in person then maybe they will be insipid to pursue soccer for themselves. “We all played right here at different High Schools and colleges in San Diego.” In an effort to make professional soccer games affordable for the entire family and encourage the next generation to come see to the games, the Sockers are bringing back the Junior Sockers program. Membership in the Junior Sockers is only $70 and includes a season grandstand ticket, a Sockers t-shirt, and a Sockers hat. In addition, like Chiles gave Wright a Hi-Five years ago, today’s Junior Sockers will be on the field high-fiving the players as they run through the tunnel. For tickets visit sdsockers.com or call 1-866-799-GOAL (4625)
 Dan McLellan About the author: Dan McLellan is a San Diego native and Charger season ticket holder since 1993. He also has a weekly Charger podcast at www.DanMcLellan.com. More by this author Subscribe to Sports:
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