Lin Chia-sheng

Lin Chia-sheng
Personal information
Full name Lin Chia-sheng (林家聖)
Date of birth (1980-07-12) 12 July 1980 (age 44)
Place of birth Tainan, Taiwan
Height 1.82 m (5 ft 11+1⁄2 in)
Position(s) Midfielder
Youth career
1986–1992 Sheng Li ES
1992–1995 Gueiren JHS
1995–1998 Hsin Feng SHS
1999–2000 Ming Chuan Uni.
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1997–2000 Taipei City Bank
2000 Ming Chuan Uni.
2001 NSTC
2003 Taipei P.E. College
2003–2004 NSTC
2004–2005 Hayes
2005–2007 Bolton Wanderers
International career
1998 Chinese Taipei U-19 1 (1)
2000 Chinese Taipei U-23 1 (1)
2003 Chinese Taipei futsal 1 (6)
2004– Chinese Taipei 1 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Lin Chia-sheng (Chinese: 林家聖; pinyin: Lín Jiāshèng; born 12 July 1980 in Tainan) is a Taiwanese football player. He has played for Taipei City Bank F.C. in Taiwan.

Biography

Early years

Lin began to play football at the age of nine when he studied in Sheng Li Elementary School (Chinese: 勝利國民小學) in his home town Tainan. He later entered the football team of Guei Ren Junior High School (Chinese: 台南縣歸仁國中) and National Hsin-Feng Senior High School and started to play in the National First Division Football League with Taipei City Bank F.C. when he was 17. In 1998, he was enrolled into Ming Chuan University and assisted its football team to win the champion of National College Cup (Chinese: 大專杯).

However, 2000 was a miserable year for Lin. His mother loved football, and she used to drive to Tai-chung to watch the national hsin feng senior high football team play. Unfortunately she had an accident when traveling back to Chia-yi (嘉義) and injured her spine. As a result, Lin gave up his participation in the school football team and commuted between Taipei and Tainan every week to take care of his mother.[1]

Move to England

After serving the military service, Lin determined to develop his career overseas. He joined the reserve team of Hayes in 2004, and then he contracted with the reserve team of Bolton Wanderers in January 2005.[citation needed] He was the first Taiwanese footballer joining European football club.

MLS tryouts

In the early 2007, Lin tried to move to the Major League Soccer of the United States due to lack of opportunities in England. Being one of the 900 participants competing in Los Angeles Galaxy's open tryouts, he was included in the final 24 but left out by the coaching staff eventually.[2] Lin also challenged to Chivas USA,[3] but he was not able to make the semifinals.[4] In 2008 and 2009, Lin made several attempts in LA Galaxy's open tryouts but did not succeed.[5] On 8 March, it was announced that Lin will go on another trial with LA Galaxy.

Tainan Football Camp

In Tainan, Lin founded the Tainan Football Camp (Chinese: 陽光樂活足球營, literally Sunshine Lohas Football Camp) which is sponsored by Spirox Education Foundation (Chinese: 蔚華教育基金會)and Chi Mei Corporation (Chinese: 奇美實業廠). He and his brother provide football trainings to the local children.

References

  1. ^ 飄洋過海 只為心中夢 (in Chinese). Liberty Times. 21 February 2005. Archived from the original on 22 March 2005.
  2. ^ 林家聖 與貝克漢無緣 (in Chinese). Liberty Times. 13 February 2007.
  3. ^ "Chivas USA-Galaxy Notebook: A chance at a dream". Daily Breeze. 17 February 2007. Archived from the original on 20 February 2007.
  4. ^ "Sixty semifinalists named for 'Sueno MLS: Chivas USA Wants You!'". Chivas USA. 21 February 2007. Archived from the original on 1 March 2007.
  5. ^ 林家聖自費想當小貝隊友 未能如願 (in Chinese). LTSports. 12 February 2008.