Q: How did you get interested in soccer when you were growing up?
A: My family introduced me into sports at a very young age. I played everything you could imagine. I played baseball, roller hockey and of course, soccer. I was better at soccer then the other ones so I ended up doing this and it couldn’t have worked out better.
Q: When did you start playing competitively?
A: I started at the club level and was lucky enough to get chosen into a residency program, so I played my freshman year at Capitchno Valley in Southern California. I then went to Florida for two years before returning to Southern California for my senior year. I got recruited by UCLA, went to college for four years before getting drafted by Colorado. I played there for four years before having the opportunity to play for Philadelphia Union. After playing there for two years, I was moved to Vancouver and I am really happy to be here.
Q: Are you enjoying living in Vancouver?
A: I love the city. It is a lot different than anything I am use to. I have been lucky enough to live all over North America and I think Vancouver is absolutely beautiful. It is second to none in terms of views and scenery and I am looking forward to getting up to the mountains and checking that out. Once I get settled, I look forward to seeing even more of it.
Q: What are some of the short term and long term goals with Vancouver Whitecaps FC?
A: I want to bring a level of consistency to the team and hopefully some leadership on the field. I believe I have demonstrated that throughout my career and I think I can bring that to this squad. With a young team, I can definitely use my experience in MLS to help here. Someone actually asked me early last season how many years I had played and I couldn’t believe that it was already six seasons. Long term, we definitely have the talent to put it all together and really make a run. Whether it is this year or next season, the entire organization in Vancouver is great and I think we have the talent to win an MLS Cup.
Q: What was it like playing against Manchester City FC from your perspective?
A: It was great. I have had the pleasure of playing against some of the biggest clubs in the world. Manchester United FC, Everton FC, Club America, and Manchester City FC is very much at that level. It’s awesome to bump shoulders with guys like Shaun Wright-Phillips and all of their players. I had the pleasure of going against Phillips who hit a bomb in the second half but it’s also fun playing against guys that you don’t see week in and week out.
Q: Tell people something quirky about yourself that no one knows about you?
A: My favourite food is sushi, although that is not all that quirky (especially in Vancouver). As far as TV goes, I am a huge fan of ‘Swamp People’. I really love that show. I watch it whenever it’s on; I actually watched an entire marathon as I was packing up to move to Vancouver.
