Sam Perry
Coach Sam Perry is a Brown belt in Judo and a homegrown Connection Rio BJJ Purple Belt. Sam was born and raised on the Hawaiian island of Oahu. He spent his childhood on the north shore in a small town called Waialua. Due to the strong influence of Japanese culture on the islands, the martial art of Judo was offered as a sport in most high schools. Sam would begin his martial arts training as a member of the Waialua High & Intermediate school Judo team. Under the tutelage and guidance of Sensei Doc Valdez (fourth dan Judo) Sam fell in love with the sport and started to voraciously study the art. In his sophomore year Sam was named captain of the team and in his senior year placed 5th in the state in the all-belt level competition. Unwilling to wait for the spring term every year when the judo program was offered by the school Sam would join the Mililani Judo Academy and study Kodokan Judo year-round under Sensei Clarence Nishi (7th dan Judo) and a cadre of many excellent coaches and instructors. Sam received his brown belt in Judo from Sensei Doc Valdez in 2012. After graduating Sam would continue to train at the Mililani Judo Academy and begin to study Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.In 2013 Sam enlisted in the United States Marine Corps and continued his martial arts training through the combatives program developed by the Marine Corps. This system of martial combat is called the Marine Corps Martial Arts Program and is an amalgamation of many disciplines designed for effective close combat on the modern battlefield. Sam would receive his green belt from 1st Lieutenant James Brown in 2016. He would also continue to train in judo and Brazilian jiu-jitsu, though sporadically due to time and geographic restraints. Fellow marine and Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt Professor Eric Moreno would be his primary instructor during this period.
After leaving the Marine Corps in 2018 Sam moved to Bend Oregon to study at Oregon State University. A perusal of the available martial arts schools in the area quickly lead Sam to begin to study regularly at Connection Rio Jiu-Jitsu Academy under Professor Dennis Asche. Professor Asche eventually offered Sam the opportunity to share his Judo knowledge with the other students at the academy. Sam was honored to accept and now coaches Judo classes at Connection Rio Academy in Bend Oregon. In addition, Sam helps out in the kids bjj program with the stand up portion of entries and throws.