Coach Juan graduated from Florida Atlantic College in 1973. He was coerced into coaching wrestling in 1976. Armed with a pamphlet and a quick lesson from Rick Tucci he began his first season. That year they didn't win any matches. Determined to learn more about wrestling he got on the mat. The next year they won two matches and he was beginning to get hooked on the sport. His third season he started taking his kids to off season tournaments. He met Jim Husk the coach at Southridge High School. Jim helped Juan, that year he and the kids had their first winning season. The following year Juan sold his car and bought a station wagon so he could take more kids to tournaments. That year they only had one loss. The same year the Hialeah High School job opened up. Juan could coach the kids in high school he had already been coaching. But he didn't get the job. He did however get the head coaching job at Miami Beach High School. During his first season he entered an opponent's gym with only four wrestlers. One got hurt so now he was down to three. Juan decided to start a program at the Junior High. He bought mats for $500.00, paid to fix up an old school bus parked behind the cafeteria and he was in business. Juan has spent his entire coaching career building programs and helping kids to grow up to be solid citizens. More than donating his time and money to help kids, he has dedicated his life to them. He has had tremendous success while coaching wrestling but the enormous challenges that he has faced and overcome defines his true character. He is one of the true gentlemen of our sport.