By Kristin Savage, U.S. Army Garrison Benelux

Leadership, resilience and mentorship can transcend borders and language barriers. For D.A. Aquino, 39th Strategic Signal Battalion (39 SSB) security officer, American Football became more than a game, it became a way to build community, mentor young athletes and develop future leaders.

What began as an invitation from a Soldier to help coach his son and a struggling youth football club grew into a national championship with the Mons Knights and a leadership role as the offensive coordinator with Belgium’s National American Football Team, the Belgian Barbarians.

“I had been separated from football for years, and once you’re away from something long enough, it fades into the background,” said Aquino. “But the moment I stepped back on the field, everything came back — the smells, the atmosphere, the memories from childhood. I was hooked again immediately.”

In the United States, many athletes, like Aquino, start playing American Football as children, with helmets so big on them they look like bobble heads. However, most players in Belgium discover the game later in life. Many are self-taught, learning through watching the National Football League (NFL), online videos or utilizing local coaching resources.

“I started playing at four years old; kids grow up around the sport, they see it on tv, they play it with friends, they understand the culture,” said Aquino. “The challenge is that American Football has many layers of development. You don’t go from beginner to the NFL. It takes years of practice, repetition and coaching.”

Challenges become even greater in a multilingual environment. American Football language in itself is complicated, trying to coach both French-speaking and Flemish athletes requires flexibility, creativity and patience.

“American Football language is complicated, even when speaking the same language, coaches can sound foreign to outsiders. Not only are we teaching the concepts, but we’re also often teaching players across multiple languages,” said Aquino. “You can’t just explain the concepts verbally; you have to show players exactly what success looks like.”

That teaching philosophy has been at the core of the preparations for the upcoming European Championships. This year marks the restart of the International Federation of American Football European Championships. Starting in November, the team will play against teams from Turkey and Austria. The upcoming season will prove to be an incredible year for the coach who never expected to become so involved in the game in Belgium. Aquino’s coaching style and emphasis on the importance of the fundamentals has led him to this point and to many victories.

“When I joined the Mons Knights, the president told me directly that he didn’t care if we won a single game, he wanted a strong foundation and culture for the future,” said Aquino. “Every week I introduced the players to new offensive systems and concepts, every week was a lesson in a different style of American Football. By the end of the season, we had players who could adapt to almost anything because they understood the concepts at a broader level.”

Coaching and mentoring comes naturally to Aquino and although the path he took in life surprised him, the person he has become doesn’t surprise him at all.

“When I was younger, I imagined a completely different future,” said Aquino. “I grew up surrounded by hardworking, humble people – my father, my coaches, my family. I grew up with people who gave their time to help others. Coaching, mentoring and teaching always felt normal to me because that’s what I saw growing up.”

Whether his players continue to grow as athletes or move on to other adventures, Aquino hopes their time as a team positively impacts their lives, and for them to know he cared about them, the game and helping them grow.