Photo courtesy of OHSAA Pat Barry (left) shakes hands with a player before the start of the Section IV state tournament.
During his 29 years of service as a football official, Pat Barry has been involved in countless big games. His resume includes extensive work at the college level (all divisions) and hundreds of competitions in the high school ranks.
Barry, the Howland-based attorney, can now add “State Championship Appearance” To his official list of accomplishments.
Earlier this month, Barry was selected to be the referee for the Division IV state championship game between Glenville and Kettering Alter.
Glenville earned a 38-3 win over the Knights.
“When you start and play your first junior varsity game, almost every official’s goal is to get selected to work the state championship game,” he said. Barry said. “That was my number one goal ever since. As an Ohio State football official, being able to make a state championship run is the ultimate honor.”
“I’ve had the privilege of working at some great college venues and being in some great college games. But this is our state, and high school football is king in the state of Ohio. Working in a state title game is unlike anything I’ve done.”
Last year, Barry worked a state semifinal match. This year, he worked all six weeks of the tournament.
“It’s an exciting experience, you just look around and know you’re in Canton, in the Hall of Fame, and you know everyone in Ohio is watching the game, including the other game officials.” Barry said. “You understand what’s at stake for these kids. You want to do everything you can to officiate a perfect game.
“At the same time, I said to the crew before the game, ‘Take a minute and think about all the things you’ve done to get to this position. We appreciate that.'”
Given Barry’s track record, it is no surprise that he was chosen to serve in Ohio State’s brightest spotlight.
Given Barry’s recent health scare, it’s quite surprising — some might even suggest it’s a miracle — that he’s still spending Friday nights on the court.
Just three years ago, the odds that Barry would ever wear a striped shirt again were slim to none.
On Easter morning 2020, Barry woke up “I don’t feel good, but I don’t feel bad.” Pain in his chest “It was about a four on a scale of one to ten.” He considered a trip to the emergency room, but it was the height of the coronavirus and Barry was wary about potentially contracting the disease and bringing it home to his wife, Melissa, and their three daughters.
With no history of health problems, the discomfort took off and turned into a case of heartburn.
Later that morning, Melissa found Pat on the bathroom floor, nearly unconscious, and in cardiac arrest. Melissa – the school nurse – performed CPR before Pat was taken to Trumbull Memorial Hospital. This was followed by a six-hour coronary angioplasty, which included placement of five stents.
However, Barry’s condition deteriorated. He fell into a coma and was transferred to the Cleveland Clinic. Barry’s liver and kidneys stop working. He was undergoing dialysis and had a hole in his throat. He remained in a coma for five weeks and had a second heart attack.
“Honestly, they didn’t think I would make it.” Barry said. “Then the day after the second cardiac arrest, I woke up to everyone’s surprise. I woke up to the nurses crying, these exhausted people who see death every day, who were shocked to see that I had overcome the odds.
“I just remember waking up and asking everyone around me: What did I miss?” They told me that since we were in coronavirus lockdown, I really didn’t miss anything.
Barry spent another two weeks in hospital before being transferred to a rehabilitation facility in Boardman. When he left the facility two weeks later, he walked 120 steps with the help of a walker.
Barry continued the long road to recovery at home.
“I would get up and walk around the house with the help of the walker, then sit down again.” Barry said. “Another commercial, another cycle. Eventually, I started loading and unloading the dishwasher, which was a two-hour ordeal. It was a very slow process throughout the entire summer of 2020.
Barry’s first return to the field was in September 2020, when he attended a Niles game. The Red Dragons are coached by Barry’s brother, Jim.
Because of his condition, Barry had to avoid coronavirus at all costs. He sat far away from everyone, near the end zone, and took it all in. From a distance, coaches, game officials and fans wished him well. At the time, returning to the field as an official was the furthest thing from his mind.
“Honestly, based on my condition and based on everything that happened, I’ve resigned myself to the fact that I’ll never be able to do something like this again.” Barry said.
However, Barry’s condition continued to improve with each day of rehabilitation. In early 2021, he worked the clock on a spring game at Notre Dame College while the rest of his officiating staff worked on the game on the field. By the fall of 2021, he was back on the field. He worked one college game and an entire slate of high school games.
“I was a little nervous. I felt like I could do the job but at the same time I wasn’t physically where I was before all this happened. Barry said. “But when you work with great people who care about you, it makes coming back so much smoother. I work with the greatest crew imaginable.
Barry’s regular season staff includes Terry Swagger, Pete Mollica, Scott Batson and Brian Durkin. Barry, Swagger, Mollica and Batson are all 1987 Niles McKinley High School graduates and are the best of friends.
“I don’t think I would still be doing it today if it weren’t for those guys.” Barry said. “We have a blast together. I absolutely love the sport. I’ve been involved in soccer in some way since I was in second grade at Bonham Elementary. My work schedule doesn’t allow me to coach, so being an official keeps me close to the game I love.”
says Barry Mollica, who has been in office for more than 20 years “He’s the best in the business.” Mollica knew that Barry had a long struggle when it came to returning to management, but he also knew that Barry had the grit and determination to make it happen.
“Obviously Pat had an uphill battle but knowing Pat I knew he would fight like crazy to get back to where he was.” Mollica said. “Due to the coronavirus, we couldn’t get anywhere near him. We only heard about his progress as the days passed.
“Seeing him on the field with us in 2021 was great. You could see him getting stronger every game. You could see how much he appreciated being there. He was so focused. He was an inspiration to all of us.”
Barry has since given up officiating college athletics “Except in rare cases.” However, he is completely back to his pre-2020 level at the high school level. This year he has played in more than 30 games, including a pair of scrimmages, 10 regular-season varsity games, six weeks of playoff games and several contests at lower levels.
He says he’s already looking forward to 2024 and beyond.
“Official labor is truly a labor of love. I think anyone who works in games will tell you that. Barry said. “I always knew that coaches and officials across the state were a special group of people. This belief was reinforced by the outpouring of anxiety I received during my recovery. I can’t wait for the 2024 season to start. I can’t wait to get back on the field with my best friends “.
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Barry, a seasoned and dedicated athlete, is contemplating the possibility of entering the state championship race. With a strong track record of success in local and regional competitions, Barry’s potential participation has sparked excitement among the running community. As news of his potential entry spreads, fans and fellow runners are eager to see if Barry will indeed take on the challenge of competing at the state level. His decision could have a significant impact on the competition and generate plenty of buzz in the world of sports.