Chosen for his wealth of experience both as a professional player and as a coach, Raul Diaz Arce will lead the U13/14 Boys team at the 2018 USL Experience, hosted by the United Soccer League’s Phoenix Rising FC.
As a coach at United Futbol Academy, Diaz Arce regularly works to pass on his massive playing experience, including over 240 club appearances and 68 caps and 39 goals for the El Salvador Men’s National Team, to the players under his charge.
At the 2018 USL Experience, Diaz Arce hopes to continue to use that knowledge to improve the players under his guidance. He also hopes to develop as a coach himself, learning from the methods of the other coaches chosen to attend.
The USL Experience provides top SYL players with some of the highest-level youth competition in the country while delivering a unique look into professional American soccer through the league’s relationship with the United Soccer Leagues, LLC, operators of the Division II USL, the new USL Division III, the Premier Development League and the SYL.
SYL: You’ll be the coach for the U13/14 Boys team at the 2018 USL Experience. What do you hope to provide for the players under your lead?
Raul Diaz Arce: I hope to pass along my vision and experiences on how to play the game as smoothly as possible.
SYL: You coach for United Futbol Academy in the Atlanta area. What has been your favorite experience coaching while coaching?
RDA: My favorite experience has simply been watching the passion for the sport growing in the young athletes I oversee. It’s satisfying to watch them grow to love the game.
SYL: You had a long professional playing career both for club and El Salvador, with 68 international caps and 39 goals. How do you pass your experiences on to your players?
RDA: I want to tell them about the players and coaches I worked with. I want to explain the level of discipline needed to reach their goals of playing at the professional level.
SYL: Having played yourself, you know what it takes to make it to the pro level. What is one piece of knowledge about being a professional you hope to give to your players?
RDA: The most important thing I can pass on is a strong work-ethic. The most important time to keep working is when nobody is watching, because it’s all self-motivated and you need that to be a pro.
SYL: What are you most looking forward to in Phoenix at the 2018 USLX?
RDA: I’m excited to share my experiences both on and off the field with the players I am coaching. I hope they are able to learn from me in turn.
SYL: The USLX can be a learning experience for coaches as well as players. What do you hope to learn from the coaches at Phoenix Rising FC?
RDA: I hope to improve as a coach at the USL Experience. I want to see how other coaches manage their teams and learn from them, and I’d like to see the feedback they give to their players, which can give me insight into what qualities to focus on.