Juan was first introduced to Judo by watching the 2000 Olympic Games. He begged his parents to start Judo but they signed him up for tae kwon do instead. Eventually, he started Judo in 2007. Throughout his career, he has faced the challenge of moving to places where judo wasn't available, leading to several breaks in his practice. In 2023, he returned to the St. Louis area earned his shodan (black belt), marking a new chapter in his judo career.

Juan teaches the youth and judo basics courses, where he shares his love and knowledge of the sport with the next generation of judokas.

His favorite technique is ippon seoi nage and he is a certified USA Judo National Coach.