James Obleda
Director of Coaching for Boca OC Soccer Club
Assistant Coach – Cal Satate Dominguez Hills Men’s Soccer
FIFA Team Services Venue Officer
1. Current Position:
I currently serve as the Director of Coaching for Boca OC Soccer Club, where I oversee player development, coaching education, and the club’s overall competitive structure. I am also an Assistant Coach with the Cal State Dominguez Hills Men’s Soccer Program, continuing to work in the collegiate environment developing student-athletes at a high level.
I have expanded my experience internationally through scouting and player identification work in Europe, as well as involvement with Uruguay’s youth national team programs. I have also served in FIFA Team Services Venue Officer roles for major international events, including the FIFA Club World Cup and the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which has added an important operational and global dimension to my coaching background.
2. What inspired you to get into coaching?:
After retiring from my playing career, coaching felt like a natural next step in my journey within the game. Soccer had already given me so much, and coaching became an opportunity to stay connected to the sport while sharing my experience with the next generation.
What started as a transition quickly became a real passion. I’ve enjoyed building teams, developing players, and creating environments where athletes can grow, compete, and push beyond what they thought they were capable of. That continues to be what drives me today.
3. How has United Soccer Coaches impacted your career?:
I have been a member of United Soccer Coaches since 2003, and it has been a consistent part of my development as a coach. The organization has provided ongoing education, resources, and opportunities to stay connected to the broader coaching community.
The annual convention and being part of the Latino Coaches Community has been especially valuable, giving me exposure to top coaches and presenters from around the game. Over the years, those experiences have directly influenced how I see the game and how I continue to evolve as a coach.
4. What has been the hardest part of coaching?:
One of the biggest challenges in coaching today is the decline in mental toughness, resilience, and overall grit in many players. Soccer at every level requires the ability to deal with adversity, competition, and constant pressure. As players move up the soccer pyramid, the demands increase significantly, but what often determines who continues to progress is mental strength.
Developing that mindset—discipline, consistency, accountability, and the ability to respond to setbacks—is essential. Players have to learn to embrace discomfort, compete daily, and stay committed even when things are difficult. At higher levels, talent is not enough; the players who move forward are the ones who can handle challenges and maintain focus over time.
As a coach, building that mentality is just as important as developing technical and tactical ability.
5. How do you measure success with your teams?:
The way I measure success depends on the level I’m coaching, but it always goes beyond wins and losses. Success, for me, is whether a team consistently plays in a way that reflects my philosophy—competitive, organized, purposeful, and expressive—while still competing to win.
I also measure success by growth. I want players and teams to develop beyond expectations, to discover levels in themselves they may not have realized they had, and to consistently push past perceived limitations.
When players gain confidence, resilience, and belief in themselves, and when teams regularly overachieve through commitment and collective identity, that is real success. Ultimately, it’s about players improving and growing into more than they thought they could be, while competing at a high level together.