Longtime head varsity coach and athletic director at the former Chadwicks Union Free School and later Sauquoit Valley High School, Robert “Bob” Barrett coached and oversaw all three major sports programs at the school: soccer, basketball, and baseball. 

Barrett amassed a 726-282-20 overall record (.706 winning percentage) in all the sports he coached.  His record in baseball was 324-47 and his teams won 19 League Championships and 5 Section III Titles.  In basketball, he was 257-173 and in soccer he was 145-62-20.  He is one of a select group of coaches who have been recognized by the New York State Coaches Association for winning 100 games in varsity basketball, baseball and soccer.

In ducted into the State University of New York at Utica-Rome Athletic Hall of Fame in 1997, Barrett’s plaque reads “Bob influenced countless numbers of youth in this area.”  In addition to his work at the high school level, Barrett ran the Saturday morning 5^th and 6^th Grade basketball program for many years.  He utilized his high school talent by turning his players into mentors to the younger players.  All of those involved benefitted from this highly valuable experience.

In addition to his successes at coaching, Bob was a highly regarded soccer official on the high school and collegiate level.  He rightfully earned the high esteem and deep respect from players, coaches and fellow officials alike.

Utilizing his executive experience earned as athletic director, director of physical education, and elementary school principal, Barrett served as a member of the Section III baseball committee. 

Barrett earned further accolades when he authored a nationally published article on soccer defense in the magazine Scholastic Coach entitled “4-4 Powerhouse.” 

Upon his retirement, the Sauquoit Valley Central School District established a scholarship in his name that would be given to a senior student-athlete that best epitomizes the values and norms that Barrett lived by and taught.  To understand exactly what that means, one only has to look at what one of his former players, Daniel Stedman, said as he summed up the life of Bob Barrett: “Bob was a father-figure to many of us in our community.  He demanded a great deal from us but demanded more from us as role models and gentlemen.  His teams modeled themselves after him.  Sportsmanship and respect of your opponent were guiding principles in his programs.  Many young people in our community benefited from Bob’s teaching and examples.”