After stints in Spain, Ireland and three Canadian Premier League teams, Ben Fisk is back home in Vancouver.
The 30-year-old midfielder, who started his soccer career in the Whitecaps system, has joined Vancouver FC.
Fisk's move to his hometown club is the culmination of a December transaction that saw Vancouver FC send the 10th overall draft pick in the CPL-U Sports draft to Cavalry FC for the 15th overall pick and future considerations.
"It kind of feels like a long time coming, which is funny to say when the team's only been around for a year. But it just kind of feels like things are coming full circle and I'm exactly where I've always wanted to be," Fisk said in an interview. "But the opportunity wasn't necessarily there until VFC popped up."
Vancouver, under coach Afshin Ghotbi, finished seventh in the league in its debut season last year at 8-15-5. The team shares ownership with Vancouver Island's Pacific FC.
Fisk has now made his way through half of the CPL's eight teams, having played for Pacific in 2019, becoming Atletico Ottawa's first signing and captain in 2020 and joining Calgary's Cavalry in August 2021. He also played for now-defunct FC Edmonton in the North American Soccer League before it joined the CPL.
He enjoyed his time with Cavalry, last season's regular-season leader, saying he went there in search of on-field "success."
"We were able to find a lot of it … It was bittersweet to leave that. I made a lot of really close friends both on and off the field in Calgary," Fisk said.
He got a taste of what Vancouver FC has to offer when Cavalry played there last July. Fisk, just back from a three-month injury layoff, scored in a 5-1 Cavalry win.
"A pretty special moment for me … I had my whole family and friends out. I think we had 50, 60 people (there). We won. I scored. It literally felt like I was 12 years old. I was just playing with a smile on my face."
He chatted with team co-owner Rob Friend, a former Canadian international, after the game.
"From that moment onward, I think I kind of had my heart set on trying to make it (the move) happen."
Fisk's wife Celestina is from nearby Burnaby, so the move was also welcomed by her.
"We've been together 12 years. She's been all over Canada and all over the world with me," he said. "It felt like the right time for us to come home, be closer to families as we start the next chapter in our lives in that regard as well — getting married last year."
After spending time with the Whitecaps under-23 side, Fisk went to Spain in search of a new soccer home — playing for Coruxo FC in the country's third tier and for Deportivo La Coruña's B team. He also spent time with the Charleston Battery in the U.S.
Fisk won two caps for Canada in 2017, starting against Bermuda and coming in off the bench against Scotland.
Fisk joined FC Edmonton in 2016, moving to Ireland in 2018 to pay for Derry City FC, competing in Europa League qualifying matches and winning the League of Ireland Cup.
He can play on either wing or as an attacking midfielder through the middle, looking to serve as a playmaker. He is looking forward to being reunited with Kadin Chung, who played with him at Pacific.
A member of the board of directors of the Professional Footballers Association, which represents CPL players, Fisk is well positioned to speak on the league given his exposure to its clubs. He says plenty of positives as the league looks forward to its sixth season.
Last year was the league's most competitive yet with only six points separating the second- and sixth-place teams.
"Last season, 2023, I think you'd be hard-pressed to find anybody who wouldn't tell you that was the best season of CPL football we've seen as of yet … I'm super-excited for 2024 to continue that momentum," said Fisk.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 9, 2023.
Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press
