By 
I am a Brazilian born, from Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro. I am Married
to Sarah Goncalves with two kids, Jace, 10 and Liam, 2 months old. My Entire family lives in Brazil. My father is Sebastiao Goncalves and my mother is Claudia Sampaio. I have two brothers, Matheus, 15 and Daniel, 13(who lives with me here in United States). I moved to the U.S. in 2006 for completion of my Bachelors in Physical Education, which I ended up changing to Criminal Justice later on. I also completed a Masters in Business Administration (MBA). In 2008, I’ve decided to join the U.S. Coast Guard, and after a battery of hard and intense tests, I was accepted and sent out to Boot Camp in Cape May, New Jersey. The U.S. Coast Guard units I worked for were USCGC Vigilant, Cape Canaveral, Florida; and Sector Houston-Galveston, Houston, Texas; until my last transfer to MSU Morgan City, Louisiana, where I currently am a Lieutenant Junior Grade working as a Journeyman Marine Inspector at the offshore installations or OCS(Outer Continental Shelf)Branch.
I have been practicing Judo since I was 4 years old, so about 30 years of experience. I received my Black belt in 1999, Brazil, and I am currently a 3rd Degree or Dan. I was first selected by the U.S. Armed Forces Judo Team in 2011 and have been part of the team since then. I am the first and only Brazilian born and U.S. Coast Guard member, at all times, to ever be part of the Judo Military National Team and Team USA Judo(civilian Olympic team).
In 2011, I was part of the Military Team who participated at the 5th CISM Military World Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil with over 5,000 athletes from all over the world, and I had the honor to carry the U.S. National Ensign(wearing CG uniform), leading the United States delegation in front of over 48,000 people at the Engenhao Soccer Stadium in Brazil, and televised live for the entire world. In 2012, I was selected as the 2011 U.S. Coast Guard Elite Male Athlete of the Year, which I was the first martial artists to win the award since 1980 when the award was created; In 2013, I won the U.S. Nationals and qualified for the 2013 Military Judo world Championship,
in Astana, Kazakhstan; In 2014, I received the award as the best U.S.
fighter of 2013 and Texas Judo All Star, and was the runner-up for the 2013 U.S. Coast Guard Elite Male Athlete of the Year. In addition, I was selected to be part of the U.S. Armed Forces Judo Team for the 6th CISM Military World Games held in South Korea, unfortunately, I was not able to go due to job related priorities; In 2015, I represented the United States with the Team USA at the Belgium Open, in Brussels, Belgium.
In this year of 2016, I was selected as the Captain of the Team USA that will be participating at the Russia Open in Yekaterinburg, Russia. In addition to that, I am already qualified for the Military World Championship with the U.S. Armed Forces Judo Team, next December in Switzerland.
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