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Grandview grad Henry Barrera is in his first season as a strength and conditioning coach with the Alabama men's basketball team. 

Henry Barrera can trace it all back to his days growing up in Grandview.

The inspiration of his community, the structure and vision of his head basketball coach and how he went about trying to be a better athlete and a team leader.

Those were the roots, which continued with two years at Yakima Valley College, and from there sprang an ascending career that has reached the highest level of collegiate athletics at the University of Alabama.

When Gonzaga's men arrive in Tuscaloosa on Dec. 17 to face the Crimson Tide, Barrera will be a big reason the Zags will face a formidable foe that is ranked eighth in the nation at 7-1 with victories over North Carolina and Michigan State.

Barrera's value to the program was in full view two weeks ago in Portland when Alabama defeated the Tar Heels, ranked No. 1 at the time, in four overtimes, 103-101. That's what a strength and conditioning coach can do for you.

"That was an incredible experience and, yes, very satisfying for me," Berrera said this week as the Tide prepares to take on the current top-ranked team, Houston, on Saturday. "Back in the summer when the guys get tired of the grind, the weight room, the hill work, the drills — all of that. It's a demanding investment, but a game like that is when you get to cash the check."

At age 46 and with two Master's degrees that signify his insatiable desire for learning, Berrera is on a journey full of investments and rewards. Starting as an athlete, moving into coaching, becoming a family man, and then answering a calling to develop athletic performance and a winning culture. With a wife and four children, he recognizes and believes in a parallel between the commitment and passion of his career with his personal life.

That parallel is Henry's unwavering inspiration and his messaging comes through loud and clear with a favorite phrase.

True in sport. True in life.

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Grandview grad and Alabama strength and conditioning coach Henry Barrera pose with his wife Melody and his kids (from left) Moriah (10), Malia (12), Maya (17) and Marquez (15).

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As a 1995 graduate of Grandview, Henry came through the program during the era of Mike Schuette, who led the Greyhounds to state championships in 1989 and 1990 and coached a thrilling brand of basketball that was high-paced, high-scoring and highly demanding.

Henry loved every minute of it. Even the sweat and suffering.

"I can't believe how much time has gone by, but those are still some of the best times of my life," he said. "I looked up to guys like Roy Garcia and Joey Warmenhoven — they were legends to us and they were great role models. Looking back, I learned so much then that has stayed with me. How to work hard, focus your energy and find ways to improve. Before each practice, Schuette would have the plan for the day on the board with a quote for the day. You knew exactly what you were going to do and why."

From Grandview, Henry came to YVC where more strong influences awaited. The men's program was being co-coached by former Central Washington University Hall of Famer Dean Nicholson and Leon Rice, who's now the head coach at Boise State. It was here that his game as a point guard and floor leader began to take off, and he found the ideal four-year opportunity at Portland's Multnomah University.

At the NAIA Christian school, Henry was an All-American and after averaging 20 points and eight assists as a senior he received the NCCAA Pete Maravich National Player of the Year award. He still owns several school records, including 19 assists in a single game and most steals in a season and career.

As a 5-foot-10 guard, Henry was reaching the end of his playing days, but not until traveling abroad to play a season of pro ball in Sweden. Then it was back to the Northwest for the next chapter.

Self-awareness. Know who you are and know who you're not. The sooner you figure that out the better. True in sport. True in life.

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Henry returned to Portland to pursue, well, just about everything.

He was the men’s basketball strength and conditioning coach for four years at Concordia University, where he later earned his first Master's degree. He also got involved in high school coaching — a true love over all other endeavors, he admits — and spent seven seasons as an assistant at West Linn, which won four Oregon state titles during those years and produced NBA guard Payton Pritchard.

Through his many levels of coaching and a self-started business, Henry quickly became known as a respected and sought-out leader in integrated training, which blends all aspects of improving human performance for an individual or team. He was hired as a performance training specialist at Nike World Headquarters in Beaverton and still consultants with many of Nike's projects.

With his successful career reaching out in so many directions, Henry decided it was time, with his growing family, to narrow the field and make a huge change.

After all his years based in the Northwest, Henry moved his family to Virginia in 2015 to become the men’s basketball director of performance at Liberty University. Results came quickly as the Flames recorded six straight 20-win seasons, made three NCAA tournament appearances and in 2020 set a school record with 30 victories.

He also served as Liberty's director of strength and conditioning for Olympic sports, and earlier this year he earned his second Master’s degree, this one in exercise science and human performance.

The kid from Grandview had become a hot commodity in collegiate athletics and his suitors were lining up. After seven very happy years in Virginia, the SEC came calling.

Without knowing your destination, you have no direction. The magic happens on the way. One step at a time. True in sport. True in life.

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Alabama coach Nate Oats, who in his second season took the Tide to the Sweet 16 and won 26 games in 2021, knew all about Henry and wanted him as his strength and conditioning coach.

Henry, too, knew all about Oats, who promoted three core values — maximum effort, continuous growth and selfless love. It was a culture he wanted at a place he wanted it, so Alabama here we come.

"When it comes to basketball-specific strength and conditioning training, Henry consistently remains on the cutting edge," Oats said after the hire last May. "He has a built-in mindset of continuous growth in that regard, and the results speak for themselves. Henry is also a man of high character and is a natural fit with our players."

"It's challenging and a huge amount of effort is put toward building and supporting the culture," Henry said. "Whether it's a 7-foot post or 5-10 guard, it's my job to give them the tools to be the best they can be. There's a ton of hard work involved, and a lot of fun, and we're learning every day. Each day is rewarding and that's how you build it, a day at a time."

Henry remembers his days of being that 5-10 guard and that's when the wheels were set on motion toward this career.

"As a small guard, and all guards in Grandview were small, I tried to find ways to bridge the gap and think of ways to raise my level of performance," he explains. "All through my playing days, that's what I worked at and it stuck with me. I learned ways to be successful and now helping others is the reward, the passion."

No matter if Alabama is the last stop or the journey continues elsewhere, Henry is proud of where it started.

"I'm a Valley guy through and through, it's in my blood," he says. "I'm so proud to come from Grandview and represent the Yakima Valley. I am who I am because of the people who invested in me and the work ethic that was instilled in me."

When people and players understand that their success depends on how they support others and how others support them, they invest and engage at a different level. True in sport. True in life.

Reach Scott Spruill at sspruill@yakimaherald.com.

(1) comment

scott23572

Awesome story! Good for him. Wonderful career and family. True success.

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