At long last, Atlético Ottawa has revealed its first signing. Former Pacific FC midfielder Ben Fisk was announced on Wednesday as having joined the CPL’s newest outfit.
Fisk, 27 scored six goals and tallied five assists in 24 CPL games (19 as a starter) and played 1,662 minutes for Pacific last season.
“We are delighted to have secured Ben,” said club CEO Fernando Lopez. “Ben Fisk brings a wealth of talent and his experience playing in the CPL coupled with his international experience in Spain aligns with the values of the Atlético de Madrid’s brand and he will be a valuable asset of talent and experience, as well as be a leader on and off the pitch.”
Prior to joining Pacific, Fisk was with Ireland’s Derry City FC, where he helped them win the League of Ireland Cup in 2018 and competed in the UEFA Europa League. He has also played for FC Edmonton, Deportivo La Coruna and Coruxo FC in Spain, the Charleston Battery, and the Vancouver Whitecaps’ under-23 side.
“As a proud Canadian I’m extremely excited for the opportunity to represent our nation’s capital in the CPL,” said Fisk. “With the backing of such a storied club, I think that Atlético Ottawa will set new standard for the league on and off the pitch. I have no doubts we will be successful in year one and beyond.”
The five-foot-eight native of Vancouver, B.C. made two international appearances at a Canadian men’s national team camp in 2017, where he started in a game against Bermuda and was a second-half substitute versus Scotland. Both of Fisk’s appearances came when Michael Findlay, the CPL’s Director of Football Development served as interim coach of the men’s national team.
“The Canadian Premier League can only benefit by retaining him – when looking for a player who may contribute positively to football’s four pillars from a technical, tactical, physical and emotional point of view, Ben provides a positive influence and brings a well-rounded skill set in these areas which will be a key element in the establishment of Atlético Ottawa’s core contributors in its inaugural season,” said Findlay.
Atlético Ottawa will begin play on the road against 2019 Champions Forge FC on Saturday, April 18 and will face off against HFX Wanderers at home (TD Place) on Saturday May 16, 2020.