Master Curtis Barnett
Master Curtis Barnett is a renowned National and International Champion in the art of Taekwondo, with a 4th degree black belt and over 37 years experience in martial arts.
He has won and medaled at numerous state, national and international championships in his career including: Collegiates, USAT and AAU Nationals, U.S. Open, Toronto, Aruba Opens, and the Titan Games. He is a former two time AAU National Team Captain, and has had the opportunity to train under and be coached by several Olympic Greats, such as Juan Moreno and Mark Lopez.
From 1975 to this day, Master Curtis Barnett is the first and only Taekwondo practitioner, including all other weight categories, in the entire state of Georgia to become a National Gold Medalist in the USAT 18-32 World Class Division (Sparring). The USAT (formerly USTU) is the only Taekwondo organization that allows a pathway to the Olympics and is considered the most prestigious of all Taekwondo based organizations.princeton.edu/~jlogan/TKD/National-champions -list.htm
Master Barnett obtained a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology from Kennesaw State University while in the pursuit of trying to make the U.S. Olympic Taekwondo Team, an accomplishment he highly credits to the discipline and structure that Taekwondo has taught him over the years.
After making AAU National Team for a Fourth and Final time, Master Barnett retired from as a competitive athlete and began to focus more on teaching. Refining his skills as an instructor and eventually taking over the family business. Master Barnett became the Head Instructor and owner of Barnett Taekwondo Academy. Over his life and career as a martial artist and instructor, Master Barnett has had the opportunity to work with and instruct thousands of students and athletes. It is his personal goal to help as many people as he can, and to continue the lineage and legacy of Barnett Taekwondo Academy on to the next generation.
Aside from Taekwondo, Master Barnett had the privilege and honor to serve the communities of DeKalb and Clarke County as a Sheriff Deputy for eight years. This experience and insight in Law Enforcement greatly influenced Master Barnett’s approach to teaching “TRUE” self-defense. Master Barnett can frequently be heard saying “My time as a Law Enforcement Officer provided me with one of the best educations I could ever receive when it comes down to one truly having to protect themselves.”
Master Barnett's Major Competition Results
(year, tournament, finishes, class)
(year, tournament, finishes, class)
1996 Nationals Competitor Heavy
1997 Jr. Nationals Qtr Finals Heavy
1998 Jr. U.S. Open Gold Heavy
1999 Jr. U.S. Open Gold Heavy
1999 Sr. USA Nationals Bronze Middle
1999 USA Team Trials 3rd Round. Middle
1999 Collegiates Silver Middle
2000 Collegiate Team Trials 2nd Middle
2002 AAU Nationals Gold Middle
2002 AAU Team Trails 1st Middle
2002 Aruba Open Silver Middle
2003 Sr. U.S. Open Bronze Middle
2003 AAU Team Trials Gold
2004 Titan Games (sub for Colombia) Bronze
2004 AAU Team Trials 2nd Middle
2005 AAU Nationals Gold Heavy
2007 Colligiates Bronze Middle
2007 AAU Nationals Bronze
2007 AAU Team Trials 1st
2007 Puerto Rico Olympic Festival Bronze Mid/Heavy
2007 German Open Competitor Heavy
2008 AAU Team Trials 2nd
2009 USA Taekwondo Nationals Gold Middle
2009 Toronto Open Silver Middle
2010 USAT Olympic Training Center U.S. Team Selection Campion
2010 USA Taekwondo Nationals Bronze Middle
2010 USA Taekwondo Team Trials Competitor Middle
2014 AAU Nationals Gold (AAU National Team Member)