A Jiu-Jitsu coach in UAE — Leonn Medeiros
Enthusiastic about challenges and with a huge experience in various areas of the industry, our interviewee arrives to give details of his career, mainly about his in UAE.
A student from FUNDACE/USP, one of our partners at SportIn Global, he started to study Sport Management in March/2022 to get more insights about the sport industry, networking and improve his skills.
Thanks to share with us, Leonn!
Leonnardo, could you share with us your background and your professional experience?
I have a full degree in Physical Education, but before going to university, I graduated from the Army Sergeants School.
My career in the sports world began with the practice in various modalities, mainly Judo, which inclined me towards Physical Education and also to join the ranks of the Army, where I was an athlete and served as an Infantry Sergeant. As a complement to being a more competitive athlete, I also trained Jiu-jitsu and, consequently, received an invitation to work with the sport in the UAE.
My first season in this country took place between 2009 and 2018, working as a jiu-jitsu teacher in schools and later as Team Leader, assisting in the supervision of Jiu-jitsu classes public schools in the city of Al Ain, in the emirate of Abu Dhabi. After this period, I decided to return to Brazil to pay more attention to the business I started with my brother, a gym and a kimonos factory. But the pandemic has changed the course of things, the long lockdown of 5 months of closed gym, no sale of kimono and uncertainties of how Brazil would react economically made me return and start a new journey in the UAE in 2021.
Despite all the difficulties during these last 3 years in Brazil, the pandemic has made us take urgent action in the gym that eventually ended up being crucial for its continuity and with the return to normality is at a better level than at the end of 2019. The kimonos factory, as we were starting, is in hibernation, with plans to restart soon.
Incredibly, you have experience in various areas of the sport industry, if you could choose one, what would it be? In addition, for what reason?
The area I like the most, without a doubt is the sports, the technique. I love the atmosphere of competitions, the cold in the belly, the rivalry and everything else that disputes involve.
However, today I understand that the sport industry is much bigger than the competition itself and that for the consolidation of an event or modality it is necessary improve the management processes. And that’s an area I like, too. I have been more dedicated to learning management and entrepreneurship.
Connect with Leonnardo: https://www.sportinglobal.com/user/profile/e461517c-bf03-c575-db05-a154f803f599
What were the biggest challenges in your career you encountered when you changed country, continent and culture?
Deciding to move was the first challenge. I had a career in the Army and leaving it would mean giving up stability. However, I was at a defining moment in my life and a little frustrated by the few training opportunities the Force afforded me. So when the invitation came up for my brother and I, I decided to ask for leave and face the new challenge.
In the scope of work, I found a very different reality from Brazil. At the beginning of the project there was a lot of prejudice with the sport and it was a daily struggle so we could get the students to train. Gradually Jiu-jitsu became popular, especially when the championships began to be broadcast on TV. Today, everyone knows the sport here, although there is still resistance from some students.
In the cultural and adaptation to the country, the process was facilitated by having my cousin and brother together, as well as some other teachers I already knew. The culture is very different and with many particular etiquette rules. The people in general are very receptive, love to invite to dinners and to participate in local activities.
A difficult point to adapt was the heat. When I landed at the airport, I figured I couldn’t stay because even though it was night, it was very hot. In summer temperatures can exceed 50 degrees, making it impossible to stay outdoors.
After all, you have already taught jiu-jitsu classes to students with disabilities, tell us what it was like to work with this type of adapted physical activity.
It’s a very enriching experience! I’m not a professional in the field, but I managed, together with other teachers, to teach Jiu-Jitsu to students with hearing impairment and some with cerebral palsy.
Physical Education was fundamental to better understand the difficulties of students and to adapt training in the best possible way. In a few days, we had the help of a signal translator, but as it is a training center of adapted modalities, it was not always available.
So we need to communicate with students without us noting how to do it. At the time, I learned some signs of local sign language, but most of it was by mime.
Although it was a brief passage, it was gratifying to see the progression of the students and to have learned much more than I taught!
As you know, we have partnership with FUNDACE, how was the choice for this MBA program in sports management?
FUNDACE showed up a little by chance. I was looking for an MBA to improve my skills in the area of management and when I looking for a course I found an ad from them.
Soon I was interested in being connected to my area of expertise, but when I saw the programmatic content, I was even more willing to attend.
After the MBA, what are some of your plans for the sport industry?
The course has opened my head to many other areas that I had not yet attacked. As I said earlier, I always wanted to be connected to competitions and athletes, but today I have thought more and more about how I can help sports and how to build together an environment conducive to sports, whether high-performance or recreational. In addition, I am ready for new experiences and markets.
A final message for our audience.
First of all I want to thank you for the opportunity to pass a little bit of my history.
I always tell those who ask me about how to go to work outside Brazil: do not be afraid to venture, if you know how to communicate you get anywhere!
And always keep in mind that you should seek to be prepared so that when opportunities arise you can make the decision that follows with it or wait for the next one. It makes sense for me to have peace in my choices and not be sorry for losing them for lack of capacity.
For those who want to get in touch to know what life and work is like here in the Emirates or for any other subject can send a message that I reply, no problems.
