An Insider's Look at Team Paul Mitchell Karate
When you hear Paul Mitchell, karate is not likely the first thing that comes to mind. However, Team Paul Mitchell Sports engages in a wide variety of lifestyle sports and events and sponsors a full roster of professional athletes.
And we’re proud to say, we help put the "art" in martial arts, as a founding sponsor of the world’s best sport karate teamâ•Œour first and longest running sponsorship. Tradition-rich disciplines like Japanese-Okinawan forms and Chinese weapons have spun off into new-school divisions like synchronized forms and creative weapons, bringing the energy of youth into the timelessness of karate. Hip hop moves are now sprinkled between spinning back kicks, demonstrating the merger of youth, art and culture. Team Paul Mitchell has been at the forefront of this evolution with a "who’s who" of team members spanning nearly 30 years.
A Bit of History:
Some 27 years ago, Paul Mitchell® Co-founder and CEO John Paul DeJoria offered head coach Don Rodrigues a corporate sponsorship of his karate team, believing that the founding principles of the martial arts were the same as those of DeJoria’s young company: Respect, Honor, Integrity, Discipline. With that simple vision Team Paul Mitchell Karate was formed, and since then, our Team members have won more World Championships than any other team in the history of sport karate.
The Roster:
Our Team boasts some of the world’s leading martial artists, including Caitlin Dechelle, Tyler Weaver, Jackson Rudolph and Justin Ortiz. Made up of dominant competitors on the North American Sport Karate Association and International Sport Karate Association circuits, our team travels to tournaments in Florida, California, Washington DC and Minnesota as well as Ireland, Italy, Austria and the Caymans.
One of our most decorated members, Caitlin Dechelle has earned over 85 international martial arts world titles! When not competing, she’s acting and doing stunt work in feature films and television. You can see herâ•Œand a number of Team membersâ•Œon ESPN2 at the US Open ISKA World Martial Arts Championships and in this SportsNation ESPN2 clip.
How We Participate:
Our sponsorship allows team members to represent John Paul Mitchell Systems at tournaments throughout the world. We partner with Paul Mitchell Schools whenever possible and bring Future Professionals to the events to provide complimentary hair services to the competitors and spectators, and sample Paul Mitchell products. We bring style to the events!
Check out the moves of these Team Paul Mitchell members!
We’re proud to sponsor the incredibly talented athletes that make up Team Paul Mitchell Karate. For more information about the team, click here.
The Paul Mitchell sports team is made up of a sporty duo that organizes and oversees our sports marketing initiatives, as well as our roster of professional athletes and events. Kalena Nordgaarden and Rachel Hausman are constantly on-the-go, attending one event after the next, and exciting the participants and crowd along the way!