Who is Jonny Pickett? Sam Schachter?

Sam Schachter — Background & Career

Early Life & Education

Sam Schachter was born on May 8, 1990 in North York, Ontario, and grew up in Richmond Hill.
He played indoor volleyball in university, earning his Bachelor of Arts in Communications Studies from Wilfrid Laurier University, where he was also recognized as an OUA Rookie of the Year in 2009.
He has also coached at the university level (George Brown College, University of Toronto, York University).
Schachter is Jewish, and his personal background has been covered in profiles about Jewish athletes in volleyball.

Career Highlights & Partnerships

Schachter has had a long and successful career in beach volleyball, with several different partners over time:

In 2010, he won the FIVB U-21 (Junior) World Championship with Garrett May.
He partnered with Josh Binstock beginning around 2013, and together they had multiple national and international successes.
- In 2014, Binstock & Schachter became Canadian national champions.
- In 2015, they achieved Canada’s first podium in a top-tier FIVB World Tour “Major” event (second place in Poreč, Croatia).
- They competed in the 2015 FIVB World Championship (finishing 9th) and the 2016 Rio Olympics (placing 19th).
After Binstock’s retirement, Schachter teamed up with Sam Pedlow (approx. 2016–2021). That team came very close to qualifying for Tokyo 2020.
More recently, he partnered with Daniel Dearing starting in 2022.
- Schachter & Dearing qualified for the FIVB World Championships in 2022.
- They won silver at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England.
- They also won the 2022 NORCECA Beach Tour Final.
- In June 2024, Schachter & Dearing won the NORCECA Olympic Qualification Tournament, earning Canada a spot in men’s beach volleyball at Paris 2024.
At the Paris 2024 Olympics, Schachter & Dearing were eliminated via the “Lucky Loser” bracket and ended tied for 17th place.

Schachter’s individual trajectory is one of steady performance and adaptation across multiple partnerships.

Jonny (Jonathan) Pickett — Background & Progression

Profile & Early Career

Jonathan Pickett (often called “Jonny”) is a younger up-and-coming Canadian beach volleyball athlete from Wiarton, Ontario.
He is part of Volleyball Canada’s Beach Men Next Gen program.
In university, Pickett played indoor volleyball for the University of Guelph. In 2024, he was named a U SPORTS Second Team All-Canadian.
His beach volleyball record shows he’s competed internationally and had joint results with both Steven Abrams and Sam Schachter.

Key Achievements & Recent Moves

Pickett has had success in domestic and provincial tournaments. For example, he and Markus Law-Heese won gold at Ontario Championships recently.
On the national stage, he and Steven Abrams won the gold for Ontario at the 2022 Canada Summer Games men's division.
In 2025, Pickett is included in Volleyball Canada’s senior beach roster, joining established names like Schachter.
His partnership record includes matches with Sam Schachter in international competition.

Overall, Pickett is bridging the gap between Next Gen and senior international competition, positioning himself as a future Canadian beach star.

How Did Schachter & Pickett Come Together? (And Their Partnership)

I could not find a definitive public account of the exact moment or circumstances in which Schachter and Pickett “met” as a team. However, a few things are clear:

Their partnership appears to have begun in or after 2024. Schachter’s previous main partnership was with Daniel Dearing through Paris 2024. Some sources list Schachter’s current partner in 2025 as Pickett.
Their pairing is reflected in 2025 Beach Pro Tour listings.
Their performance record (match results, stats) is tracked jointly under “Schachter / Pickett.”
In September 2025, a press report noted that Schachter & Pickett earned a berth for Canada at the upcoming FIVB World Championships by winning a continental qualifier (beating a Nicaraguan team in the bronze match).

So, while the exact "meeting story" (who approached whom, when and where they decided to team up) is not publicly documented, their partnership is operational in 2025 and showing results.

What Are They Working Toward? Goals & Tournaments

Major Tournaments & Circuit Goals

FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championships — In 2025, Schachter & Pickett qualified for the World Championships in Adelaide (November).
Volleyball World / Beach Pro Tour — As a pairing, they compete in Pro Tour events (Challenges, Elite16, etc.).
Olympics — For Canada, the men’s teams aim to qualify for future Olympic Games (beyond Paris 2024). Their performances at continental qualifiers, Pro Tour, and world events will feed into that.
NORCECA & Continental Qualifiers — To secure spots in Worlds and Olympics, North American continental tournaments (NORCECA) are key.
National & Domestic Championships — Maintaining high-level results at home bolsters rankings, funding, and national team selection (e.g. provincial and national tournaments).

What They’re Working Toward Strategically

Strengthening their teamwork & consistency — As a relatively new duo, consistency in results will help them move up the rankings, gain seeding, and draw more favorable matchups.
Improving rankings & tournament seedings — Accumulating points in Pro Tour / FIVB events is essential to improve draw positions and qualify for more elite tournaments.
Securing Canadian representation & legacy — They are part of the next generation of Canada’s men’s beach volleyball, and their results help sustain Canada’s presence internationally.
Olympic aspirations — While Pickett was not in the Paris 2024 Games (Schachter competed with Dearing), the pairing could aim for Los Angeles 2028 and beyond, depending on qualification cycles and performance.
Balancing development & competition — Given Pickett’s relative youth and upward trajectory, they must balance risk-taking in tournaments with solid result-building.