Charles "Chugger" Adair (born August 11, 1971) is an American former soccer player and current soccer coach. He spent two seasons in the Continental Indoor Soccer League, two in the National Professional Soccer League and seven in the USISL A-League / USL First Division.
Early life and education Adair grew up in Chula Vista where he played soccer as a youth. When he was five, he underwent open heart surgery.Still Kicking Chugger Adair, now with San Diego F.C., has seen career take some twists and turns San Diego Union-Tribune - May 9, 2001. Adair attended Hilltop High School.Hilltop boys soccer team wins Metro championship Evening Tribune (San Diego, CA) - February 15, 1989. He was inducted into the Hilltop Hall of Fame in 2001.Hilltop to induct Hall of Famers San Diego Union-Tribune - January 18, 2001. In 1989, he entered San Diego State University where he played one season with the men's soccer team. He then transferred to the University of San Diego and played with the Toreros for three seasons. In 1992, Adair's senior season, San Diego went to the NCAA championship where they fell to the Virginia Cavaliers. During his three seasons with USD, Adair scored 27 goals and added 23 assists in 57 games.
Playing career On April 7, 1993, the San Diego Sockers selected Adair in the first round of the 1993 Continental Indoor Soccer League Draft.Socks' Draftees – The Sockers' selections in the CISL Collegiate / Amateur Draft. San Diego Union-Tribune - April 8, 1993. After scoring ten goals in six games, Adair left the Sockers for a trial with Belgium club Ghent the first week of July.Knights Show Improvement - They Limit Sockers to Just Eight Goals. Sacramento Bee - July 10, 1993. He spent most of his time in Belgium with Ghent's reserve team, but played one exhibition game, scoring a goal, with the first team. When Ghent did not offer him a contract, Adair returned to the Sockers in time for the playoffs.Newman bringing back Adair as a siege-breaker San Diego Union-Tribune - September 8, 1993. The Sockers went on to win the CISL championship. After going on a post-season tour of Switzerland with the Sockers, Adair signed with the Wichita Wings of the National Professional Soccer League in January 1994.Wings Sign Local Product to a Development Contract. Wichita Eagle - January 16, 1994. He scored fourteen goals in fourteen games then tore his anterior cruciate ligament in March, putting him out for nearly a year.Injury Sidelines Wings' Adair. Wichita Eagle - March 9, 1994.National Professional Soccer League Final Official Report - 1993-1994 . In June 1995, Adair returned to playing with the Sockers.Adair back with bang as Sockers rally to win San Diego Union-Tribune - June 4, 1995. In March 1996, the Los Angeles Galaxy selected Adair in the third round (26th overall) of the 1996 MLS Supplemental Draft. The Galaxy waived him on March 25, 1996.Late cuts in MLS lop off kickers from area San Diego Union-Tribune - March 26, 1996. He then signed with the Carolina Dynamo of the USISL a month later.Dynamo Blasts Flyers to End Losing Streak Greensboro News & Record - April 28, 1996. On February 26, 1997, he signed with the Milwaukee Wave of the NPSL.Wave makes roster moves Milwaukee Journal Sentinel - February 26, 1997.National Professional Soccer League Final Official Statistics - 1996-1997 In April, he moved to the Seattle Sounders of the USISL A-League.Sounders Sign Two Forwards. Seattle Post-Intelligencer - April 17, 1997. He had reconstructive knee surgery and lost the 1998 season. In 1999, he played for the San Diego Flash.New faces put a spark in Flash's A-League attack San Diego Union-Tribune April 11, 1999. He returned for the 2000 season, but recurring knee problems limited him to 91 minutes in five games. The Flash released him in August and he immediately signed with the Minnesota Thunder.Adair released, takes career to Minnesota San Diego Union-Tribune - August 1, 2000. In 2001, he was back in San Diego, this time with San Diego FC.Rampage tumbles in season opener Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (WI) - April 20, 2001. In March 2002, he signed with the Portland Timbers.Soccer Notebook – Timbers' New Forward Adds Size, Experience to Lineup. Oregonian (Portland, OR) - March 4, 2002.
Coaching career Before retiring Adair began coaching. In 1996, he coached the Bonita Vista High School boys team. He was assistant coach with the University of San Diego men's team, his alma mater, from 1998 to 2000. He was then the assistant coach of both the men's and women's teams at Pacific University. In 2003, he was assistant coach of the San Diego Spirit women's professional team. Adair was associate head coach of the UC Santa Barbara women's team for two seasons. Adair was the assistant for the women's team at Virginia Tech. In 2011 he was promoted to head coach of the team.
Lawsuit over National Anthem Benching In March 2021, Adair was sued by a former player, Kiersten Hening, for allegedly benching her, subjecting her to repeated verbal abuse, and forcing her off the team because she refused to kneel in support of the Black Lives Matter organization. The trial court denied Adair's motion for summary judgment on December 2, 2022,Court document courtlistener.com allowing the case to proceed to trial. In January 2023, Adair agreed to pay over $100,000 to settle the lawsuit.
References
External links Virginia Tech biography UC Santa Barbara Gauchos biography