Phoenix Martial Arts
About
Phoenix Martial Arts on South Church
Phoenix Martial Arts sits on South Church Street in south Murfreesboro, voted Best Martial Arts Studio in Rutherford County by Main Street Awards in both 2024 and 2025. Master Instructor Nick Cotellese runs the program with a stated emphasis on structure, clear expectations, and purposeful challenge rather than participation-trophy training.
Kids Martial Arts Programs
The school structures classes across three age bands, with kids classes accommodating a wide preschool-to-pre-teen range. Programs include:
- Kids Martial Arts (ages 3-12, full martial arts curriculum)
- Teen Martial Arts (continued training through high school years)
- Adult Martial Arts (parents or older teens)
- Free trial class available for new families
What's Included
- Master Instructor Nick Cotellese (named lead)
- Best Martial Arts Studio in Rutherford County, Main Street Awards 2024 and 2025 (consecutive)
- Wide age-3-to-12 kids bracket (covers preschool through 6th grade)
- Structure-and-challenge philosophy stated explicitly
Experience
The "structure, clear expectations, and purposeful challenge" framing positions Phoenix on the more-traditional, less-coddling end of the kids martial arts spectrum. Back-to-back Best-in-Murfreesboro awards (2024 + 2025) signal sustained community trust, not a one-year spike. Pattern fits families that want their child held to real standards rather than the every-kid-gets-a-stripe approach common in commercial franchise schools.