Barry’s love of aquatics began with his international youth successes as a swimmer and a lifesaver. Transitioning from being a strength and conditioning coach and a voluntary swimming coach with Lincoln Vulcans and Bournemouth Dolphins, he embarked on a distinguished Head Coach journey in 2004, initially taking the helm at Christchurch Seagulls. Under his guidance, the club became a breeding ground for talent, producing an impressive pathway roster of international swimmers, water polo players and open-water competitors.

From 2014 to early 2025, Barry was the Head Coach at Poole Swimming Club. Under his leadership, he coached numerous athletes who gained international success at the World and European Junior Championships, European Senior Championships, Commonwealth Games, and Olympics.  Multiple British Age Group Records were broken, further underscoring his coaching.

Barry’s next venture focuses on challenging the conventional methods of developing female swimmers through his new role as Head of Swimming at the re-invigorated programme at Talbot Heath School Swimming Academy, which he has led since 2019. He aims to make a significant difference not only to their pupils but also to the broader swimming community, and he sees challenging the development of female swimmers as a key driving motivation in his role.

Barry is a Swim England Senior Performance Coach with a Professional Certificate of Education from the University of Greenwich.