Dr. Hector R. Morales-Negron is a native of Manati, Puerto Rico and attended the University of Puerto Rico where he was a varsity Judo and wrestling athlete for four years. He completed the UPR Army ROTC and graduated with a degree in Kinesiology and a commission in the U.S. Army as a second lieutenant as an Air Defense Officer. In the Army, he served in leadership positions as platoon leader and battery commander as well as leading multiple staff sections at the battalion, brigade, and division levels. In 2004, Hector was selected as an Academy Professor of Physical Education at the United States Military Academy at West Point and attended Florida State University where he earned his PhD in Sport and Exercise Psychology. After his return to the West Point in 2008, in addition to his instructional and leadership duties, he became the Head Coach of the West Point Judo team that brought the first National Championship in the 50 years of the program and won fifteen total National Collegiate Judo titles in all four divisions: advanced men and women and novice men and women from 2009 until 2014.
At the Academy, he was also the Director of the Personal Fitness Development Course, the Director of Program Support, and was responsible for the combatives instructor certification program. Dr Morales, now a retired Lieutenant Colonel, is an Army Master Combatives Instructor and certified over 1000 soldiers to lead combatives programs throughout the Army since 2003. He also represented the U.S. as an athlete in the Military World Games in 1995 and coached the U.S. Armed Forces Judo Team from 2003 until 2013 to six World Military Judo Championships in Italy, Croatia (2), India, Brazil, and Kazakhstan.
Dr Morales is a Performance Enhancement Certified Consultant (CC-AASP) through the Association for Applied Sport Psychology and currently is a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates Mental Conditioning Team. As a CC-AASP, he has also worked with collegiate level athletes as well as developmental travel teams to assist coaches and players in the development of their motivation, cohesion, and overall performance. Dr. Morales currently resides in Bradenton, Florida.
