Gui Mendes Talks 'Vision' For New Wave Of 'Dominant Juveniles'

Guilherme Mendes was keeping busy during the 2016 European Championships, coaching students like Tommy Langaker, Mason Monsevais and others, helping Team Atos secure a third place finish in the juvenile division. But according to Mendes he is just getting started and has big plans for his juveniles in the coming years.

"My goal for 2016 is to keep expanding the academy. Teach seminars and share my jiu-jitsu around the world. Coaching these students at the tournaments, I won't be competing, I'll be just coaching and dedicating myself to improving their jiu-jitsu so I'll have a lot of champions this year."

"I think you need to follow what fires you up. Competing fired me up for a long time, I've been competing since I was 12 years old. I've accomplished everything that I could accomplish, winning more titles would not change anything in my life. I chose to redirect my goals and do something different. I started AoJ and the chance of having new champions, teaching jiu-jitsu to kids and seeing it changing their lives is what fires me up now. It motivates me to wake up everyday and work hard. It's a different goal using jiu-jitsu but more towards helping others to accomplish their goals so I can accomplish mine. Competitions are a personal achievement but already I feel I'm in the next step of my life."

"I just need to put in the same amount of energy. I was able to accomplish everything I wanted to accomplish as an athlete because I was able to put the right energy into it, I was motivated to do that. I just need to do the same thing. My goals are to create champions in jiu-jitsu. It's hard to explain, my vision is to create a new batch of champions that people never saw before. A group of juveniles that will come and win every division. We have a really strong kids program at the academy. I believe that this is the foundation of jiu-jitsu and in a couple of years we will be at the top of all the tournaments."