Development doesn’t start only on the field. It starts with the people standing on the sideline.

At Sol SC, we believe a player’s growth is only as strong as the environment around them — the coaches guiding them, challenging them, encouraging them, and helping them understand what the next level truly requires.

That’s why we invest in coach development the same way we invest in player development: with purpose, humility, and a commitment to learning at the highest level we can reach.

This past FIFA international window, three Sol SC coaches — Alfonzo Garwacki, Gabriel Ocaris, and Giancarlo Santos — spent twelve days inside the camp of the Venezuelan National Team as the staff prepared for international matches against Turkey and Iraq.

They returned to Central Florida with more than photos and memories. They returned with perspective, knowledge, and experience that now belongs to every player who wears the Sol SC crest.

Twelve Days, a Year’s Worth of Learning

For Coach Alfonzo Garwacki, Sol SC’s MLS NEXT Director, this was his third FIFA window with the Venezuelan Senior National Team and his fourth and fifth international matches as part of the technical staff.

His role centers on opponent analysis — studying the game from the inside to identify patterns, strengths, weaknesses, and tactical tendencies that help the coaching staff make better decisions. At that level, preparation never stops: video review, tactical meetings, training sessions, and problem-solving before, during, and after every session. For nearly two weeks, football becomes a 24-hour commitment.

“Every FIFA window has been a university of football,” Alfonzo said. “I recently completed my U.S. Soccer A License, which is something I’m extremely proud of. But honestly, every window feels like earning another one. Every opponent studied, every session observed, every conversation with top-level coaches — it all adds up. It all teaches.”

What stood out most to Alfonzo wasn’t the feeling of reaching a destination. It was the opposite.

“Every time I get closer to the highest levels of the game, I realize how much more there is to learn. And that realization is what motivates me the most.”

One of the most meaningful parts of the experience was sharing it with two other Sol SC coaches.

“One of our greatest responsibilities as leaders is to create opportunities for others to grow,” Alfonzo said. “Knowledge only becomes truly valuable when it is shared. No one reaches meaningful success alone.”

Behind the Scenes: A Masterclass in the Details

Coach Gabriel Ocaris entered the experience responsible for logistics, equipment, and uniforms across rest days, training days, and match days. But the deeper education happened in the details.

Working inside a national team environment gave him a close look at how elite players and staff prepare — mentally, physically, and professionally. He absorbed the rhythm of the camp, the demands of international competition, and the level of detail required to help players perform at their best.

“Seeing the behind-the-scenes preparation for elite training and international matches, I kept asking myself one question: how can I absorb all of this and bring it back home to Sol SC?”

Throughout the window, Gabriel learned directly from the fitness coaches, doctors, physiotherapists, players, and staff who operate daily in high-performance environments. He returned with valuable lessons in three areas: sports psychology and elite mindsets, physical preparation and recovery, and how a staff manages pressure during an international window.

“Talking directly with the players about what helped them reach this level, I better understood the winning mentality that separates the top players from everyone else,” Gabriel said. “Now it’s time to take those lessons back to the pitch and keep building.”

Surreal — and Then Familiar

Coach Giancarlo Santos worked closely with Gabriel managing equipment and uniforms, which placed him around the players and staff every day. At first, it felt surreal.

“I won’t lie — at first I was taken aback,” Giancarlo said. “These are real national team players I watch every weekend in top leagues. But as the days went on, we built a bond with several of them and saw how humble they are. They treated the entire staff like one big family.”

That humility left a strong impression. Giancarlo watched how the staff worked around the clock, stayed locked in on the task at hand, and still made time to build real relationships with players and colleagues.

“If everyone is on the same page, happy, and confident, the whole operation runs smoothly.”

The small details stood out most: each player’s pre-match routine, how substitutes prepare, how the locker room is managed at halftime, and how staff support one another through the demands of the window.

“I can’t wait to get back to my groups at Sol SC and apply what I learned,” Giancarlo said. “This only increased my hunger to get better and do more — for Sol and as a coach.”

Why This Matters for Sol SC

This is what player-first development looks like behind the scenes. When coaches step into elite environments, study them, and bring those lessons home, the knowledge doesn’t stay with them — it shows up in training sessions, raises expectations, and sharpens how our players are prepared for what the next level demands.

Coach development is player development.

At Sol SC, our goal isn’t simply to talk about high standards. It’s to build them into the daily environment our players experience — which means developing coaches who are curious, humble, prepared, and committed to growth.

Bringing It Home

Our coaches returned from this FIFA window grateful — for the opportunity with Venezuela, for the trust of the staff, for one another, and for the players and families who trust Sol SC every day. But gratitude isn’t the finish line.

The work is.

Now it’s back to the field. Back to training sessions. Back to the players across Central Florida who’ll feel the difference at practice this week — whether they ever hear this story or not.