‘Caps Chat: An Interview with the Vancouver Whitecaps FC Goalkeeper, David Ousted

david-save

Photo: Tom Ewasiuk

By Michael McColl

Vancouver Whitecaps Football Club are steeped in tradition dating back to 1974. The team currently play in Major League Soccer, the highest level of the professional club game in North America.

While maintaining their Canadian feel, the ‘Caps squad is also packed with a number of players from across the world, including South America, Europe and Asia. In the first of a series of articles, Inside Vancouver, sits down with some of the Whitecaps’ top international players to discover their love for their city and their top tips and recommendations for visitors and locals alike.

We kick the series off chatting with the Whitecaps’ 31-year-old Danish goalkeeper, David Ousted, who has called Vancouver home for almost three years now, and who credited his, and his family’s love of the city as a key a factor in signing his recent contract extension with the club.

david-throw-in

Photo: Tom Ewasiuk

You’ve been in Vancouver since the summer of 2013 and have talked about your love of the city. How would you sum up your thoughts on Vancouver as a place to live and visit?

“It’s a great place to live. It’s got a lot of things, obviously on the field, but also on the outside that you can enjoy. I’m a big outdoors guy. I love being in nature and seeing things that you don’t normally see every day. On the north shore, there’s some great trails and great things to do – Grouse Mountain, if you want to go a little bit up further north, Whistler, Pemberton. It’s just a lot to do outside of soccer.”

What were your first impressions of the city when you arrived as a first time visitor?

“The city took me a little bit by surprise when I got here. Just how great of a city it was and how special the city was. I’ve been to the bigger cities in North America, New York, LA and stuff life that, and I think Vancouver has a special feel to it.

“You can walk 20 minutes downtown in any direction and you’ll hit the beach somehow, which is kind of a great feeling. I’d call it a ‘little big town’. New York for example, feels very big, but Vancouver kind of feels kind of, I think, cosy is the best word to describe it. I was taken back by how beautiful it was and how special it was.”

david-motivating-team

Photo: Tom Ewasiuk

Casting your mind back to your first day in Vancouver, what would you recommend for visitors when they first arrive in the city?

“I was living downtown at the Hyatt, so the first thing I really did was to take a three hour walk, just around downtown. Robson Street, I walked up Granville, walked to English Bay and walked up to see some of Stanley Park. I was amazed at how much there was within a very short radius of downtown to actually look at.”

What would be your top tip to anyone planning a visit to Vancouver?

“If you come over here on vacation, just make sure you have plenty of time. Vancouver is so much more than just the downtown. It’s such a big area that there’s so many things to see, so I would take plenty of time to see all of it and make sure you make it up to Whistler, make sure you make it over to Vancouver Island, and really get the experience of the whole of Vancouver.”

You’ve been here for nearly three years now, but with so much to see, what’s still on your must-do list when it comes to doing your own sightseeing?

“I’ve heard a lot of good things about Tofino. That’s one of the things on my must-do list while I’m here. I’ve had one short trip staying over in Victoria, but I really want to go and see more of Vancouver Island. I just heard that Tofino has a very special kind of feeling to it.

“Something I’d like to do one summer is just take the car and drive up north and just drive around up there. I’ve been to Pemberton up there but I want to go even further north and see that. It’s absolutely beautiful up there.”

david-with-kids

Photo: Tom Ewasiuk

David Ousted’s Must See Experiences For Vancouver Visitors:

David is a big family man and spends as much of his time off the pitch with his wife Maria, his daughter and twin boys. What he loves about Vancouver is how great a city it is for families, telling us “there’s so many things to see” if you’re visiting with kids.

Here are his three must see experience when visiting the city:

  • Vancouver Aquarium and Stanley Park – “One thing that’s great to do with the kids (or without kids) is the Vancouver Aquarium. Going into Stanley Park before that, for a little bit of a picnic, then walking around the seawall and then going into the aquarium. It’s absolutely beautiful, especially on a summer’s day.”
  • Granville Island – “Granville Island is fun to see because it has that special kind of a market feel to it.”
  • Trails in North Vancouver – “Being an outdoorsy guy, I love going and doing the trails in North Vancouver and going up to Grouse Mountain.”

David Ousted’s Recommended Eats:

“There’s a ton of good restaurants downtown,” David tells us. “There’s almost too many to eat at all of them.”

So tough to narrow them down, but we asked David to try and pick what would be his ideal breakfast, lunch and dinner choices that he’d recommend to visitors to Vancouver.

  • Breakfast at Tomahawk – “It’s a great little breakfast place in North Vancouver. Don’t tell our nutritionist this, but they have great pancakes. That’s a great little breakfast spot.”
  • Lunch at La Taqueria – “Just fantastic tacos. They’re in North Van and also on Cambie Street and downtown.”
  • Dinner at Grouse Mountain – “On top of Grouse Mountain. That’s one place I want to eat but I haven’t gone yet. I’ve heard that it’s really good food as well [as stunning views].”
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