(727) 576-2100

Our Instructors & Staff Members

Phil Beatty   (Director/Chief Instructor)  Mr. Beatty is a 3rd degree Black Belt in karate with over 25 years martial arts experience, a certified Level III F.A.S.T. Defense™ instructor, certified F.A.S.T. Defense For Children™ instructor, and has served six years of honorable U.S. Military service. He has over 25 years experience as a certified personal trainer and group fitness instructor and is currently an international fitness and martial arts continuing education presenter. Mr. Beatty is also an instructor for All Children's Hospital KidShapers™, a weight management and fitness program where he currently teaches goal setting and fitness motivation to children and their families. He is also a loving father of three children. Martial Arts, Self-Defense and Combat Training History Phil Beatty started his formal martial arts training at USA Karate of St. Petersburg on January 6, 1985, under John Graden and achieved his Black Belt on March 23, 1989. USA Karate was also the training facility of the Legendary Joe Lewis, the man Black Belt Magazine named as "The Greatest Fighter of All Time." The Joe Lewis Fighting System taught to Beatty is a combination of the most effective strategic full-contact karate and hand-to-hand combat available. The focus of Mr. Beatty's training and specialized studies is in reality self-defense and empty-hand combat. Mr. Beatty is certified by internationally known combat and self-defense expert Bill Kipp, the chief instructor and creator of F.A.S.T. Defense™ (Fear Adrenal Stress Training). Mr. Beatty is a certified instructor in F.A.S.T. Defense™ for Level I (Stand-Up Aggression), Level II (Ground Aggression), Level III (Weapons Disarming), and F.A.S.T Defense For Children™ (stranger abduction and bullying prevention and self-defense).

Roger Patrizzi   (Chief Instructor of Muay Thai and Mixed Martial Arts) Mr. Patrizzi has over 20 years martial arts experience and is a certified Muay Thai Instructor, 2nd degree Black Belt in American Kenpo, and holds high belt ranks in various martial arts including Japanese Ju-Jitsu. Mr. Patrizzi has also served six years in the United States Marine Corps. While serving as a Close Combat Instructor in the Marine Corps, he was a competition fighter for the Marine Corps Muay Thai/NHB Team, with a NHB/Vale tudo record of 12 Wins 2 losses, and an Amateur Muay Thai Record of 10 wins and 3 losses. Mr. Patrizzi has been stationed all over the world and has fought in both Thailand and Japan. He currently teaches and trains competition Muay Thai and Mixed Martial Arts Fighters.

Kim Cox   (Tactical Training Instructor) Ms. Cox is a 3rd degree Black Belt in karate with over 30 years martial arts experience, a certified LRT™ (Last Resort Tactics) Master Tactical Instructor, a Certified CDT™ (Compliance-Direction-Takedown) Master Tactical Instructor, and a F.A.S.T. Defense™ Coach. Some of Kim's other tactical and combat training accomplishments include being co-author of "Beat the Odds," a training manual used by the FBI, and serving as an instructor on the Empty Hand Confrontational Tactical Training Team for the U.S. Marshal's Office in 2003. Kim's fitness and athletic training talents include being a Certified Personal Trainer, Group Fitness Instructor, and she has over 30 years experience in gymnastics and acrobatics. In the 1980s Kim was one of the top ranked females in tournament martial arts in America. In 2000 she also won 1st place in women's forms and 1st place in women's fighting in the nation's largest martial arts tournament, the U.S. Open Karate Championships, after not competing for 12 years.

Luis Ramirez   (Instructor/Children's Karate Instructor) Mr. Ramirez is a 2nd Degree Black Belt with over 10 years martial arts experience. He is also a F.A.S.T. Defense coach and Children's Martial Arts Instructor.

Mark Graden   (Kickboxing Sparring Instructor) Mr. Graden is truly one of the most talented instructors and competitive fighters in the world today. With over 30 years martial arts experience, he holds a 6th Degree Black Belt in American Kickboxing under the Great Joe Lewis, a 4th Degree Black Belt in American Tae Kwon Do, and was trained by four world kickboxing champions. Mr. Graden is the current "World Association of Kickboxing Organizations" WAKO Pro Super Heavyweight World Kickboxing Champion with a fight record of 31 wins - 4 losses, and is undefeated on American soil. He is also a 3 time WAKO National Champion, 2 time IASKA National Champion, 3 time U.S. Open Champion, 5 time member of the United States National Karate Team, and 2 time recipient of the "Pound for Pound Fighter of the Year" award from the Joe Lewis Fighting Systems. Mr. Graden also acts as the Director of Martial Arts Education Curriculum for the National Association of Professional Martial Artists.

Glenn LaPlante   (Boxing Sparring & MMA Instructor) Mr. LaPlante is a 3rd Degree Black Belt in karate and a Brown Belt in judo with over 18 years martial arts experience. Glenn started his training in 1989 at John Graden's USA Karate and achieved his Black Belt in a school record time of 1 year and 10 months. He entered his first full-contact kickboxing competition in 1991 and went on to be the 2 time National Kickboxing Champion with a full contact record of 9 wins-0 losses (7 wins by knockout). In 2000 Glenn became a professional boxer and has a pro record of 9 wins-3 losses-1 draw (6 wins by knockout). Glenn has also trained with martial arts greats Joe Lewis, Bill Wallace and Dan Inosanto. In 1994 Glenn was also awarded "Hall of Fame" Children's Instructor of the Year.

John Graham   (Fitness Instructor) John Graham is a NASM certified personal trainer, and as such, is well educated in all aspects of fitness. John is very goal oriented and believes in continual improvement in whatever your goals may be.

Keenan Atkinson   (Fitness Instructor) Keenan Atkinson combines his passion for fitness with his engineering background to give students and clients a unique training experience that optimizes results. He aims to get clients moving properly so that they can be as strong and healthy as possible. He believes that clients can and should learn proper movements -- both in the gym and in "the real world" -- and enjoys teaching proper form and movement principles while training. Keenan is an NSCA-certified Personal Trainer and also holds a Crossfit Mobility Certificate.

Erika Comas   (Fitness Instructor) Erika Comas, AFFA certified personal trainer. Originally from the Bronx, New York, I moved to Florida as a child and have been in love with Florida ever since. For fun I enjoy roughhousing with my son, beach visits, cooking and spending quality time with my friends and loved ones. What made me turn to fitness as a profession is that I can definitely appreciate and admire the hard work and dedication needed to obtain goals. I enjoy a healthy fit lifestyle and truly love helping as many people as I can achieve their personal goals, by bringing my previous experience and passion in dance, gymnastics, strength training, high intensity cardio training and Pilates. Whether it’s gaining one's dream physique or overcoming obstacles to make time for improving your overall health and well-being, all of us here at the Elite Training Center strive to motivate and get you to the next level of fitness.

For more information about the Elite Training Center staff or training programs, please contact us at (727) 576-2100 or by clicking here.