By Janelle Davis

At 18 years old, Oscar Feliu began studying sports science in his home country of Spain. As a lifelong soccer player, he decided to specialize in the sport, and began coaching part-time in order to receive credits for his program. He fell in love with coaching and pursued it full-time when he moved to the United States after he played seven years professionally in Spain’s Tercera Division (third division) for a handful of teams.

Feliu, who has coached for Arlington Soccer since 2017, currently serves as Arlington Soccer’s Boys Academy Age Group Director and coaches the 05/04 Boys and 07 Boys Academy teams. He has the unique experience of having coached both in the U.S. and Spain as he also coached the UD Bordeta U12-16 teams in Spain. In addition, he holds A Youth Coaching License (the highest in youth coaching) from the US Soccer Federation and a UEFA “A” license, the second-highest qualification in UEFA.

In the U.S., Feliu noted the ways that Spanish and American culture differed in terms of the national relationship with soccer. Asked about some of these differences, he gladly shared his observations. The main difference, according to Feliu, is that soccer is a much more significant sport in Spain than it is in the United States. Because of this, soccer is not only a sport, but a means of socialization and community building. In Spain, soccer players spend a lot more time in locker rooms, where they are able to bond with their teammates and share moments with each other that many American soccer players are not afforded. After their friends or relatives’ games, Spanish families often stay for others, and spend the entire day watching soccer games, before everyone comes together at a bar to eat and drink.

Feliu strongly believes that soccer players should not think of themselves as athletes, but as artists. He often asks his young players, “How do you play soccer?” to which most answer, “You play with your feet.” Coach Feliu tells them that you actually play soccer with your head. He believes that being creative and intelligent on the field is just as important as being comfortable with the ball at your feet. Feliu also stresses the importance of being a good decision-maker. He referenced the Spanish national team that won the 2010 World Cup: “People think the teams that win are the ones that have the best athletes, but it’s the teams that have the more creative players, who are able to read the game better.”

Feliu was honored as the 2020-21 Virginia Youth Soccer Association Boys Coach of the Year award after leading the 06 Boys Academy team to the US Youth Soccer U15 National Championship. This award is one of several achievements for Feliu, but it was particularly special after such a great season. Being recognized, he said, made him feel incredibly proud and motivated him to continue working hard. He gives the credit to his great group of players and to Arlington Soccer for developing well-rounded players and ensuring that coaches have the resources they need to excel.