Our Story- The Dream

2012

The dream of Joga Bonito began in 2012 while Julian Guilbeault "Jules" otherwise known as "Fusion" was in college at the University of St. Thomas.  After a disappointing college career, he had lost his passion for the "beautiful game."  While coaching with ISSE "International Soccer School of Excellence" Kyle Johnson, father of Tyler Johnson, approached Jules and asked him, "can you freestyle?"  Jwlz had always been able to juggle a ball well with his size 14 feet but had no idea the tremendous changes this one simple question would bring to his life...

Kyle Johnson, social entrepreneur, and philanthropist believed in Jwlz as a young college student, making him the co-founder of Joga Bonito.  His life would never be the same...

Since that day Jules has dedicated the past 5 years to learning freestyle and journeying into the world of freestyle and street soccer.  Through Kyle, Jules met his best friend and business partner Michael "Balam" Morales.  Balam quickly restored his passion for the game with his enthusiasm and love for the game.

2013

Joga Bonito was coming to life and what a beautiful dream it was becoming before our very eyes.  Kyle had made us feel like celebrities in the soccer world.  We began doing pre-game performances for the Minnesota United FC at the Metrodome to get our name out.  The feeling of fans cheering you on in amazement was the most intoxicating and life-giving experience Jules and Balam had felt.  Even more important was the memories and friendships they were creating.

2014

Joga Bonito was a success.  We were running our very own Joga Bonito futsal program.  Our students were having fun and improving rapidly... Providing highlight videos for the kids, showcasing their excellence was the icing on the cake.   Jules and Balam got hired by an entertainment company and flown to Dallas, Texas to perform for an international bank that summer.  We couldn't believe it... All expense paid trips around the country with his new best friend.... Never in a million years...  It kept getting better... performing on stage for the first time at Tony Sanneh's Gala 4 Goals in front of hundreds of soccer lovers.  The dream continued...

2015

All dreams have some set backs though... In 2015, we realized that although we were having fun.. expenses and responsibilities were piling up.  We all had full-time jobs and the time needed to grow Joga Bonito was not there anymore... Kyle made the difficult decision to step back from Joga Bonito to pursue other opportunities.   Jules took an opportunity as the Technical Director at NSSA while working as the sales manager at a biodiesel manufacturer in Minnesota.  Balam began working at Coerver and coaching high school soccer for Southwest.  Time is our greatest asset and the time needed to grow Joga Bonito was not their anymore...  Joga Bonito still was performing at events such as the Gala 4 Goals and local soccer club jamboree/ community events.

2016

Balam and JWLS had worked too hard to give up... 4 years of freestyle and street soccer training was paying off.  Jules and Balam were shooting freestyle videos with the likes of Christian Rameriz and getting hired for big name events.  Joga Bonito was hired by marketing companies to help sell tickets for the Chelsea Vs. AC Milan event.  Joga Bonito was featured on WCCO, in the Star Tribune, and even feature on the Official Chelsea Youtube account.  Things really started taking off!

2017

The most pivotal year so far for Joga Bonito.  The Joga Bonito Soccer School has begun!  Partnering with HGRA, Joga Bonito is running their unique and fun programming for U5 boys and girls in the Highland MacGroveland area.  HGRA is where JWLZ began his soccer career and now he coaches his 4-year-old daughter Mackenzie "MKNZ" along with around 150-200 of her friends.  We plan on expanding our Joga Bonito Soccer School this summer for all ages to create a fun and inclusive environment where our students can learn, grown, and most importantly enjoy the "beautiful game."

2018

This year our business has really become a business.  We now offer our freestyle entertainment services as brand ambassadors to companies interested in promoting their product or service to the soccer community.  We help promote events such as the World Cup Street Fair.  Joga Bonito is doing performances for local soccer clubs such as VLST and small business for their community events.  We also are working in school providing high-energy performances and talking to kids about health, bullying, and entrepreneurship.  We have partnered with many local clubs, businesses, and non-profits such as Make-A-Wish.  We also are working with the community to offer free freestyle, street soccer, and Panna community events every Friday evening.  Our goal is to inspire and help kids, our community, and the world through our God-gifted talents.