Guilly Santos: From swim coach to hospitality entrepreneur

Coach Guilly with two of the Paralympians he mentored.

BRAZILIAN-born Guilherme Santos dived into Brisbane in 2011, with a six-month student visa, a sports science degree, a thousand dollars and a plan to learn English.

His experience representing Brazil in swimming (he had achieved a place in the South American Cup and the World Championships), landed him a job as a swim coach and lifeguard.

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He went on to coach the Brisbane Jets and was an integral member of the Australian and Queensland coaching teams for 11 years.

Yearning to add to his income stream, Guilly plunged headfirst into hospitality entrepreneurship by working pop-up markets.

Missing his Brazilian culture and in alignment with his health philosophy, he sourced a familiar staple – the Acai.

These dark purple-hued berries are native to South America and are known as “purple gold”.

Guilly moved south in 2022 and found his feet at The Forum at the University of Newcastle, where he coached Paralympic swimmers.

After having twin girls, he and his wife Brittany launched two Acai berry stores, including one in Nelson Bay.

His enigmatic smile engages you immediately and his desire to help others drives his passion for promoting a healthy lifestyle.

He’s also the Swim Director at Newcastle Grammar, which enables him to remain “on pool deck” and focus on technique, psychology and recovery.

Gilly is dedicated to giving back to the Port Stephens community, feeling blessed to have become an Australian citizen.

His intention is to bring swim stroke correction, technique, and strength and conditioning clinics to The Bay.

In the meantime, he enjoys being docked in the “Aussie Town of the Year”.

By Jacie WHITFIELD

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