David Barnett began the study of martial arts at the age of 15 on September 3, 1984. On September 24, 1988, Mr. Barnett received his Black Belts in Ji Do Kwan Tae Kwon Do and Goju Ryu Karate.
In the fall of 1990, Mr. Barnett transferred from Kansas State University to the University of Wisconsin at Whitewater, where he began helping his parents, also Black Belts, teach their beginning and intermediate Tae Kwon Do classes on campus. As a result from requests from several students who wished to train under Mr. Barnett, he began a small informal class. In May of 1991, he awarded his first two green belts.
In August 1991, Mr. Barnett founded the Warhawk Karate Club, to offer an alternative to the already existing Warhawk Martial Arts Club on campus. The WKC grew quickly, and by the end of the semester, was the largest martial arts organization on campus.
The WKC opened up to the community, offering childrens classes as well as adult beginning and advanced classes. Mr. Barnett continued to teach classes at the university in Tae Kwon Do, Sparring, Weapons, and Self-Defense.
In 1994, Mr. Barnett took three of his students to Hays, Kansas to test for their Black Belts. Mr. Barnett and his father were awarded the rank of second degree in both Tae Kwon Do and Goju Ryu Karate at that event. In 1999, Mr. Barnett and Dr. Barnett were awarded the rank of third degree in Tae Kwon Do by the Wisconsin Association of Independent Black Belts.
In 2000, Mr. Barnett and his family moved to Colorado, and in September 2001, Mr. Barnett began teaching for Young Champions of America (formerly Young Olympians Karate), an organization that caters to the childrens karate market. Later that fall, he founded Wolfpack Martial Arts where he teaches adult classes.
On September 3, 2002, on the 18th anniversary of his first martial arts class, Mr. Barnett opened the Wolfpack Martial Arts dojo.
Throughout the years, Mr. Barnett has taken advantage of learning opportunities and has attended many seminars and training events. He has also cross-trained in a number of other styles, including Jujutsu, Aikido, Ninjutsu, Hapkido, Shotokan, Kali-Escrima, and several others.
In addition to teaching his own organization, he is also currently training in Combat Hapkido under Art Huerta, and expects to earn a Black Belt in that style in 2003.
Mr. Barnett and his wife, Dana, have five children: Matthew, Manda, and Michael, and their newest additions, twins Mikaela, and Makenzie! The whole family is also involved in the martial arts, and Dana helps out with the records and books for Mr. Barnetts classes.
