About Us and Who We Are
Phoenix Karate was founded by Chandres, Adrian, and Sadie Pickett, each holding black belts in American Freestyle Karate. Their curriculum blends American Freestyle techniques with the foundational elements of Shorei Ryu, which Adrian and Sadie continue to study and refine.
In 2024, Phoenix Karate also introduced Phoenix Combatives, a self-defense system led by Erin Samsell, a certified Krav Maga instructor through a nationally recognized defensive and offensive combat program. Erin brings practical, real-world self-defense training to students of all ages and backgrounds.
Our Team
Adrian Pickett
Adrian holds his 3rd degree black belt in American Freestyle Karate. He is actively training in Shorei Ryu. Adrian has competed since 2019 in various circuits, primarily PROMAC and NASKA, and has regional, national, and world titles including PROMAC Regional Champion, PROMAC Divisional Champion, NASKA National Champion, and NASKA World Top Ten Competitor.
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Sadie Pickett
Sadie holds her 3rd degree black belt in American Freestyle Karate. She is also actively training in Shorei Ryu. She has competed since 2019 in many circuits, and has regional, national, and world titles including PROMAC Regional Champion, PROMAC Divisional Champion, NASKA National Champion, and NASKA World Top Ten Competitor.
Chandres Pickett
Chandres holds her 3rd degree black belt in American Freestyle Karate. She manages Phoenix's administrative needs and scheduling, runs the Phoenix pro shop, and oversees the competition and demo teams.
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Erin Samsell
Erin is a certified Krav Maga instructor, as well as a Phoenix Karate student and competitor. She earned a PROMAC Regional Champion title in 2024.