A winning coach, no matter the category. Paulo Chupeta, who has played for Flamengo's adult and youth teams, achieved an unprecedented feat last Monday: his second Basketball Development League (LDB) championship. Chupeta's winning streak with the Red-Blacks began in 1997, in the Juniors' division. Since then, he has collected titles in the Infanto, Juvenile, and Adult divisions. Among his most recent achievements, he was the pioneering champion of the first two editions of the season's major national leagues. In the first edition of the NBB, in 2009, Flamengo was crowned champion with him at the helm. Two years later, the Mais Querido became the first team to win the LDB.

Chupeta's story at Flamengo began with an invitation from the club's then sports supervisor, Luiz Carlos Peixoto, after a state championship in which he coached Jequiá.

"In 1997, I was the coach of Jequiá, with whom Flamengo competed in the same state championship. Peixotinho, the supervisor at the time, told me he had an opening at Flamengo. The club offered me half of what I was making before, much to my wife's dismay, but I accepted the offer, knowing that I had a future at Flamengo. I arrived at the club through the youth team, where I won my first, second, and third championships, and then moved on to the youth team. In 1998, Zé Boquinha was the coach of Flamengo's adult team and one day, watching me train, asked to use a defense he observed. It was an honor for me. In 2004, I worked with Emmanuel Bonfim during the Brazilian championship runner-up. He was the basketball guy from Rio. He asked me to work with him on defense, which has always been my strength, the one I studied the most. We didn't win the final, but we eliminated Ajax, who were very strong," he said.

Still in 2004, Chupeta got his big break: coaching Flamengo's adult team. After that, numerous state, national, and South American titles proved that his choice was worth it.

"In 2004, we were short on funds, and this weakened the team. The board that arrived at the time made an offer to Guerrinha to be the new coach. Before entering the meeting, he said he wanted me to be his assistant if he reached a deal with Flamengo, but he ended up not reaching an agreement with the board. That day, I was already in the car leaving the club when they (the board) called me and invited me to be the coach of the Adult team. I was in the youth team. I accepted, and we put together a team for the South American Championship, which did very well. This team went to the State Championship, eliminated Vasco da Gama, and reached the final against Telemar, a very strong team. After losing by 25 points in the first game, I talked to the players, and we managed to turn the streak around and become champions. That was in 2005, the first of six consecutive state championships. After Marcelinho arrived, we won two Brazilian championships in a row, in 2008 and 2009. and then the South American, also in 2009. I started in 1974 as a coach, at Riachuelo. I waited for my time to come for 30 years," he declared.

The U-22 boys showed their affection for their coach after the victory over Minas, which gave Flamengo its second LDB championship. Amidst shouts, hugs, and the traditional water bath, Chupeta and the boys celebrated the victory.

"I combine the fatherly and dictatorial styles at the same time. On the fatherly side, I'm very demanding of them. But when they do good things, I'm kind of affectionate. It's different managing the professional team than the young players. The kids have to be motivated, they have to know the coach is there for them. In the adult team, you have to manage egos, because everyone is experienced and wants to play. I was happy to have Marcelinho as team captain in this category; he's a super professional, a role model, so much so that he was once captain of the Brazilian national team," he said.

Under-22 pivot, who is also part of José Neto's squad in the NBB, Douglas Corrêa says that the way Chupeta talks to the players in training instills confidence and unity.

"As soon as I arrived at Flamengo, he (Chupeta) welcomed me very much, made me feel at ease, the communication, the dialogue with me was very important to give me confidence. I was able to develop my work better. I also always tried to learn what he says, he always negotiates with the player, the conversation he has with everyone is what makes the team pay attention, more united and produce more and better," he praised.

Chupeta sees the first state championship he won leading the Adult team as the most memorable moment of his career at Flamengo.

"The most significant title for my career was the 2005 state championship. I was playing for the children's team and was invited to manage the adults' team, a team that was discredited, with many players retiring. But they all played for the national team and had great quality. That's when I began my odyssey at Flamengo. The sixth Rio de Janeiro championship began with that title. For Flamengo's history, I think the two Brazilian titles and the South American League, in Argentina, are the ones I won. We silenced the Argentines there. In those moments, I relied heavily on Marcelinho's support. He came along and helped the team a lot," he declared.