stay connected...Kyra Barry ’83 Promoting the Benefits of Wrestling
H
ow does someone with no personal wrestling experience become team leader for the 2016 USA Wrestling women’s team and be named USA Wrestling’s Woman of the Year? If you ask Kyra Barry ’83, she will say it has to do with selfawareness and gumption.
Kyra Barry ‘83 and Olympic wrestling gold medalist Helen Maroulis
“Throughout my career, I have always tried to take advantage of what is in front of me,” Barry says, adding that much of this learning has come from sports.
As board president of Beat the Streets, a nonprofit organization in New York City, Barry works to improve the lives and potential of youth through wrestling. It’s a job she finds deeply fulfilling. “If you look at youth development, a lot of the metrics are based on academic markers. But now there is a lot of emphasis on noncognitive learning, and skills like perseverance, grit, and discipline,” Barry says. “Some kids will get that from the classroom, but others will find it on the playing field.” As a three-sport athlete at Andover (soccer, squash, and softball), this was certainly true for Barry. Though she graduated before PA’s coed wrestling program started, it was at Andover that she was introduced to the sport by her close friend and wrestler Josh Hubbard ’83. Barry attended numerous matches at Andover and at Columbia College, where her boyfriend (now husband, David) was a wrestler. After graduating from Columbia with a degree in urban studies and working in various transportation policy positions, Barry took time off to raise a family, but wrestling was always in the background.
Barry (in red) with the women’s delegation in front of the Christ the Redeemer monument atop Corcovado Mountain
When her children were in school and began to participate in sports, Barry became involved in various school boards and helped develop youth soccer and wrestling programs in Hoboken, N.J. Those experiences paved the way for her to join Beat the Streets (a partner organization of USA Wrestling) in 2010 and to become team leader of USA Wrestling’s women’s team for the 2016 Summer Olympics.
Barry’s Olympic role was focused on advocacy and ensuring the athletes adhered to Olympic rules and policies. As part of the official U.S. delegation, Barry took part in all activities with the athletes; she marched in the opening ceremony and lived in the Olympic Village. To top it off, the women’s team won its first gold medal. “The Olympics were the pinnacle, said Barry. “I loved it!” Barry’s focus now is to advocate for wrestling, especially for women and girls. She has set up committees to help increase participation and is pursuing NCAA emerging sports status. What keeps her motivated and excited? Barry has learned a lot from sports, and she wants to share that knowledge with the next generation. “When you get out on that mat, it is one on one. You have a keen sense of accomplishment and sense of self because you are the only one,” says Barry. “I think the skills acquired through wrestling are really important, particularly for women in the workplace as we fight for gender equity.” —Allyson Irish
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Andover | Winter 2018
for detail, and good will. What we heard, time and time again, were great stories about Scott’s legendary wit and humor. He was almost always considered “the smartest guy in the room,” and people were often initially intimidated by him, but his charm, passion, and warmth quickly put people at ease and ignited their interests in the subject matter at hand. Although I was not in touch with Scott, I deeply mourn his passing. My heartfelt condolences and best wishes go out to his family most of all. It is a tragic loss. He was too young and too meaningful to too many to leave us all so soon. I did have the opportunity to speak at length with Scott’s father, Nat, and when I mentioned that those of us from Andover who knew him well had missed him, Nat said simply that Scott was just not that outwardly social. He valued his close relationships with a tight-knit group of friends and colleagues in his community to large social gatherings like Andover reunions. Also, it was clear that Scott’s life took off on a path as soon as he arrived at Yale and met his wife to be, Lisa. When he made his way out to Portland, OR he knew it was where he wanted to stay and set up a very nice life there. In addition to his wife Lisa, Scott is survived by two wonderful daughters, Sarah and Hannah. Reed College posted an obituary which gives more detail. Visit reed.edu and search Prof. Scott Baldwin Smith. Scott’s family created an award in his name. Contributions can be made at linfield.edu/secure/give. php (choose “other” and write in Scott Smith). Best, Tom Efinger
1982 Graham Anthony 2502 Waterville Drive Champaign, IL 61822 434-989-5800 grahamanthony@earthlink.net Chandri Navarro 604 Tivoli Passage Alexandria, VA 22314 chandri.navarro@hoganlovells.com Yalda T. Uhls 616 Via De La Paz Pacific Palisades, CA 90272 yaldatuhls@gmail.com
It was a joy to see everyone at our 35th Reunion and post reunion, we are still connecting via our Facebook page, Andover 82. At reunion and in the notes below, I hear the joy of connectedness, work and family, and realize how important it is to be with those we love.