• Three-time CIAU champion and two-time silver medalist; three-time Canadian Open champion and two-time silver medalist.
• Competed internationally in the Pan American Games, the World Student Games, and the World Championships (placing 13th in 1971).
• Awarded the World Amateur Wrestling Association Gold Star and inducted into the Canadian Wrestling Hall of Fame.
• Coached the U of A Golden Bears (1974-85), winning six CWUAA Championships and being voted CIAU Coach of the Year.
• Coached international wrestling teams for competitions including the Junior World Championships, the Junior Pan Am Games, Universiade, and the 1982 Commonwealth Games.

John Barry was a critical part of the history of amateur wrestling in Canada and, importantly, on the campus of the University of Alberta for 35 years. He was a world class wrestler, a superior coach, a dedicated builder of his sport, and an outstanding administrator. As a youth, John won numerous Ontario high school wrestling championships in his weight class and when he moved on to the level of university competition, he continued to dominate his competitive classification. While at the University of Waterloo from 1970 to 1972 John won the Ontario Universities Athletic Association (OUAA) Gold medal every year; the CIAU Gold medal in 1971 and 1972 and was named the OUAA Outstanding Wrestler in 1972.

He moved to the University of Alberta in the fall of 1972 and joined Bert Taylor’s powerful Golden Bears team. His domination in his weight class continued. He won the Canada West Universities Athletic Association (CWUAA) Gold medal in 1973 and 1974, the CIAU Silver in 1973 and the Gold in 1974. John competed in five CIAU wrestling championships without ever losing a match. He also dominated his weight class at the Canadian Amateur Wrestling Championships (CAWA) winning the gold medal in 1971, 1972, and 1973 and the Silver in 1970 and 1974. His wrestling prowess won him places on Canada’s Pan Am Games (1971), the World Student Games (1973) and World Championship teams of 1973. His talent and his courageous, tenacious style of wrestling won him admiration at every level of his sport.

At the end of his competitive career it was a natural progression for him to remain in the sport as a coach. The University of Alberta offered him that opportunity when he was appointed to replace Dr. Taylor as the head coach of the Golden Bear wrestling team in 1974. It proved to be a superb fit. John led the Bears to six CWUAA team championships. During his 11 years as coach of the Golden Bears his wrestlers won 46 CWUAA titles, 10 CIAU Gold medals, and three CAWA championships. In 1978, the CIAU voted him Wrestling Coach of the Year. His talents as a coach were also recognized by the CAWA when he was appointed as Senior Assistant Coach for the World Wrestling Championships (1976) and the Canadian wrestling team’s head coach for the Junior Pan Games (1978), our nation’s Junior World Wrestling Championships (1979), the Canadian National team in a duel meet with the USA National team in 1980, and the Commonwealth Games team in 1982. His wrestlers won six Commonwealth Games Gold medals and a total of 11 Gold medals in the Junior Pan Am and the Jr. World Games. In addition to these elit coaching positions John served a litany of other coaching roles at the local, provincial and national levels. His talents have not gone unrecognized.

In 2003, the Canadian Amateur Wrestling Association inducted John Barry into their Hall of Fame. On the road to this citation of excellence, John was named to Edmonton’s Amateur Wrestling Association’s Honour Roll (1988), the City of Edmonton’s Boxing and Wrestling Hall of Fame (1983), the FILA Gold Star (1983), and he gained Achievement Awards from both Edmonton and the Province of Alberta in 1972, 1973 and 1974.

John’s career at the University of Alberta has been exemplary in many ways. In addition to his many roles in athletics he has been a builder within the Faculty of Physical Education and Recreation. For more than 20 years he served as Director of Facility Operations and as project manager during the planning and building of Foote Field, Saville Sports Centre, and the University of Alberta Climbing Wall. In 2008-’09 John directed the drive to win for the University, Edmonton and Canada the right to host the Universiade Games in 2015.

A colleague of John Barry’s stated that “The attitude that only paid work matters is lamentably common. John has never lived his life like this. He coached or managed hockey teams where his children were members for over 10 years. He has served as a member of numerous boards at every level from city to nation. He is committed to making the world a better place in which to live. John is a humanist who has always helped others.” The University is proud to add his name to the Sports Wall of Fame.