1 (602) 980-3414
Sensei Shawn Sample
Traditional Japanese Shotokan Karate Do
Phoenix Shotokan KarateSM
TM
Our Chief Instructor is Sensei Shawn Sample who was born in Massachusetts, but grew up in Kansas City, Missouri, where he started training in January of 1977. Sensei moved to Phoenix in 1980 to pursue his Karate training under the direction of Sensei Shojiro Koyama. He is now a 7th Dan rank under KWF; he holds an A grade Judge, Examiner, and Instructor. Sensei continues to study traditional Shotokan Karate.
Sensei has over 45 years of Karate experience as a competitor, teacher, and a student. In earlier years, he competed in several tournaments. He is a former US ISKF/JKA National Kumite Champion (1998) and a seven year member of the US National Karate Team. He has competed in four World Shoto Cup Tournaments. He retired from competition in 1998.
Some of Sensei's Accomplishments include:
1986 21st Annual Western States Karate Championship, 1st Place Team Kumite
1987 5th Annual Southwest Invitational Karate Championships, 1st Place Kumite
1989 8th Annual Glendale Invitational Tournament, 1st Place Kumite and 2nd Place Kata
1990 8th Annual Southwest Invitational Karate Championships, 1st Place Kumite
1990 Sanseido Mesa Invitational Tournament, 2nd Place Kumite and 2nd Place Kata
1990 9th Annual Glendale Invitational Tournament, 3rd Place Kata
1991 9th Annual Southwest Invitational Karate Championships, 1st Place Kumite
1991 10th Annual Glendale Invitational Karate Championships, 1st Place Kumite and Best Competitor
1991 ISKF & Collegiate National Karate Tournament, Miami Fl, 2nd Place Kumite
1991 Sanseido Invitational Tournament, 1st Place Kata and 1st Place Kumite
1991 2do Torneo de Karate Shotokan, Juarez-El Paso, 1st Place Kumite and 2nd Place Kata
1992 4th World Shoto Cup Tournament, member of USA Team, Tokyo Japan, Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium, placed in final sixteen in Kumite
1992 ISKF Nationals, Anchorage, Alaska, 3rd Place Kumite
1992 Sanseido Invitational Tournament, 2nd Place Kata
1993 Western States Karate Championships, 1st Place Kumite
1993 Mesa Karate Invitational Tournament, 3rd Place Kumite
1993 4to Torneo Karate-Do Shotokan, Juarez, Mexico, 2nd Place Team Kumite
1993 3ra Copa Shotokan Karate, Chihuahua, Mexico, 1st Place Kumite and 2nd Place Kata
1994 Western States Karate Championships, 1st Place Kumite
1994 5th World Shoto Cup Tournament, member of USA Team, Philadelphia USA, placed in the final eight in Kumite
1994 ISKF Nationals, 2nd Place Kumite, and 2nd Place Team Kumite
1994 La Salle Shotokan Karate Tournament, Cd. Obregon, Mexico, 1st Place Kumite
1994 5to Torneo Internacional Shotokan, 1st Place Kumite
1996 6th World Shoto Cup Tournament, member of USA Team, Osaka Japan, placed in the final eight in Kumite
1996 1st Annual Arizona Shotokan Karate Championships, 1st Place Kumite and 2nd Place Kata
1997 2nd Annual Arizona Shotokan Karate Championships, 1st Place Kumite
1998 7th World Shoto Cup Tournament, member of USA Team, Paris France
1998 16th Annual Glendale Karate Championships, Best Competitor
1998 Nationals International Shotokan Karate Federation, 1st Place Kumite