Brand Becomes First Ever Team USA Poomsae High Performance Manager

In a historic moment for the sport of Poomsae in the United States, two time World Poomsae Champion and National Team Coach Barbara Brand has become the first ever dedicated staff member focussed solely on the discipline, accepting the role of High Performance Manager for Team USA Poomsae. Brand will oversee the development and implementation of all U.S. Poomsae programs, at both grassroot and elite level, in conjunction with USATKD and Poomsae leadership, and is charged with building a pipeline to drive Poomsae forward to even greater heights in the coming years. Already a solid #3 in the world, Team USA’s ambitions to be number one are loudly stated, along with long term goals to see Poomsae adopted as an Olympic discipline in the future. This move is key in ensuring that Poomsae always has a strong and powerful voice in any USATKD strategic decisions.

USATKD CEO Steve McNally said: “We’ve had this move in mind for a while now, but wanted to respect Coach Brand’s desire to continue as an elite level athlete for one final time - a decision that was proven correct on her part, as she delivered the best result possible in Goyang with another gold medal performance for Team USA. Now we agree it is time for Coach Brand to transcend the mat and become a sport leader at the highest level. I know she’ll work just as hard as she did to be the best in the world today herself to benefit the athletes of tomorrow, and give them every chance to be the best in the future. Barbara is tenacious, driven, determined and one of the finest Poomsae minds in the world. We’re lucky to have her. I greatly enjoyed working with her when she was AAC chair, and equally look forward to the future, knowing she will challenge all of us - athletes, coaches and staff - to be better, every day.”

Brand’s stellar record has earned her respect not just in the U.S. but around the world. Here are just some of her accomplishments:

2022, 2020 World Champion

3 time World Championship bronze medalist

7 time member of the USA National Poomsae Team (2007, 8, 9, 10, 11, 20, 22)

8 years National Poomsae Coach (since 2014)

6 time coach of the USA World Taekwondo Poomae Championship Team

Certified International Referee

8 year AAC member/Chair  

On accepting the position, Brand said: “I am honored to join the USATKD staff as the first ever High Performance Poomsae Manager. I'll use my experience as a USA National Poomsae Team member and World Championship coach to build on the tremendous success of our record breaking 2022 USA World Taekwondo Poomsae Championships team. I look forward to working with our highly skilled, collaborative coaches, management, and Poomsae community to make Team USA strong, deep, and ready for all levels of competition. I am grateful and excited to further develop our USATKD Poomsae Talent ID program, National and Regional Poomsae Academies and launch the Poomsae University because all of these programs will provide the developmental tools, resources, and support athletes need to reach the top spot on the medal podium.”

McNally continued: “It’s a mark of how far we’ve come as a sport that all three of our senior high performances leaders are women now - with Barbara joining Senior Director of High Performance May Spence and Para High Performance Manager Adriana Gonzalez as the key strategists in all three disciplines of our sport. They are overseeing the present, planning for the future and learning from the past to make sure we take everything we can from our history, whether that be from good or bad experiences, to ensure the athletes of today and tomorrow are given everything possible to succeed, safely and healthily.”