When longtime San Diego Sockers forward Kraig Chiles announced his retirement at season’s end, he didn’t expect to spend his final moments in professional indoor soccer in slacks and a checkered dress shirt on the bench.
“This is definitely my last season, and it’s been a great journey,” said Chiles, 41, in his 17th season with the Sockers, back in December. “To be a rookie and now a veteran is something I will cherish forever. I still feel I can add a little bit to this championship-caliber group. Hopefully, we can grab the (Ron Newman) Cup, and I can ride into the sunset.”
Chiles sustained a knee injury at Frontwave Arena in Oceanside on March 15 against the Kansas City Comets, sidelining him for the remainder of the regular season and likely the playoffs, which begin Friday for the Sockers after a first-round bye. The team elevated him to an assistant coaching role for the rest of the year.
“I feel like I’ve grown up in this uniform and in this organization,” Chiles said during a pregame ceremony honoring his career on March 29, minutes before the Sockers’ final regular-season game. “I came fresh out of college, a young kid ready to score some goals. I feel like I am leaving a man, an adult, a father, and hopefully a mentor to a lot of the players down the road.
“Unfortunately, I won’t be able to take the field with my boys tonight – things work out the way they work out. I plan on making the best of it and helping the organization, the players and the coaching staff in any way possible,” he continued. “I’ve had so many fantastic memories in front of some of the best fans in the country. I am forever indebted to this organization. This is just the beginning – I will continue on in any capacity they need me.”
The Barolo of professional indoor soccer—perhaps a little blockier than he once was and not quite as mobile – Chiles was still producing on the field. In 16 games this season, he tallied seven goals and eight assists, including the game-winning score in a Jan. 3 contest against the Empire Strykers.
A native of Poway and San Diego State alum, Chiles has won six league championships with the Sockers, dating back to the team’s years in the Premier Arena Soccer League (PASL). He holds franchise records for goals and points and ranks among the top five in Major Arena Soccer League history.
“Part of the motivation that kept me going is my kids and my family,” Chiles said last season. “They’re old enough now to really understand what’s happening, and they enjoy it more and more.”
Kraig Chiles may be nearing retirement but was a key contributor to the Sockers in his final season until he injured his knee. (Photo by Ryan Young/San Diego Sockers)Chiles joined the Sockers in 2009 after a single season in MLS with the now-defunct Chivas USA. Chiles joined the Sockers in 2009 after a single season in MLS with the now-defunct Chivas USA. Transitioning to indoor soccer meant adapting to a smaller field, fewer players on each side, and walls that keep the ball in play, creating a faster, higher-scoring game.
A die-hard soccer player, he spent much of his first indoor offseason playing pickup games around San Diego.
“I remember being a rookie and still playing four or five times a week,” he said. “I’d ask (Sockers veteran players) Aaron Susi and Paul Wright if they wanted to come play, and the answer was always no. Now that I am on the opposite end of the spectrum – I play 25 times a year at maximum capacity, every time inside an arena. It became about managing my body and making sure I have enough in the tank on game night.”
With Susi on hand for the retirement ceremony, it was a full-circle moment for Chiles.
“We had a bet every year on who could score more goals and who could get more assists,” Susi said. “As an older guy, I couldn’t compete with him in goals, but it kept us playing hard. I think he beat me every time in goals, and I beat him in assists. From the start, I always admired how professional he was – he never got a big head. He’s a great ambassador for the sport and forthe team here in San Diego.”
Juan Salazar, a Point Loma Nazarene alum who spent his first three professional indoor seasons with the Sockers before moving on to Utica FC, called Chiles a major influence on his development.
“I’m a person who asks a lot of questions,” Salazar said. “Learning how the defense works in indoor soccer coming from outdoor is difficult. [Chiles] was really welcoming and helped me through the process, explaining everything. The guys there were legends, with more than 10 years of experience. I tried to be like a sponge and learn everything I could.”
Salazar recalled Chiles, echoed by other veterans, telling him, “Learn as much as you can, and when you’re on the field, play simple.”
Chiles, long a veteran presence on the San Diego Sockers, has been serving as an assistant coach after suffering an injury in his final season. (Photo by Ryan Young/San Diego Sockers)After closing out the regular season at 16-6-2, the Sockers claimed the MASL Shield and secured the top seed to earn the bye in the Ron Newman Cup playoffs. They will face the St. Louis Ambush, which eliminated Kansas City, starting with Game 1 of the semifinals on the road Friday.
Game 2 is scheduled for Sunday at Frontwave Arena, with a potential mini-game the same night if the series is tied.
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