Coaching

Director of Coaching

Daniel Benito-Alcalá

Coach Daniel was born in Spain in the working-class neighborhood of Vallecas, near the Spanish First Division (La Liga) Rayo Vallecano soccer club; and where children play soccer in every park with the goal of enjoying the sport.

Childhood was spent doing school-work and playing soccer with neighborhood friends. After playing in the lower category teams at Rayo Vallecano, he decided to focus on coaching the game he loved.

He completed his university education in Spain with a Bachelor’s Degree in Physical Education and a Master’s Degree in Education. Next he worked in Spain as a soccer coach at “Club de Fútbol Rayo Majadahonda” while also studying for a Master in Sciences in Physical Activity and Soccer.

Next he coached in Spain at “Club de Fútbol Rayo Majadahonda” first team, which was led by Eduardo Caturla, acclaimed mentor of a whole generation of coaches (and the current President of the Spanish Coaches Committee). During this time he saw the commitment towards soccer from working with professional players including Daniel García Lara (Real Madrid, Real Zaragoza, Real Club Deportivo Mallorca, Recopa de Europa runner-up, Fútbol Club Barcelona…). Working with them he learned how to apply the concepts that he had studied, and understand the things that a soccer professional has to know, apply, and value if he wants to be successful.

Next he moved to Austin, Texas. He has been a youth soccer coach for several years in Austin and has developed several successful soccer teams. Thanks to the team’s success, the families and players in 2011 he started the One World Soccer organization to bring soccer development to boys and girls.

Coaches portraits provided by Catchlight Portraits.