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    ON THE BALL: Warracknabeal lawn bowls star Josh Barry is ‘humbled’ to be a finalist for a male sportsperson of the year award. Picture: PAUL CARRACHER

Josh Barry a state finalist in sportsperson of the year awards

BY DYLAN DE JONG 

If anyone had the secret to staying at the top of their game, it would be the Wimmera’s Josh Barry. 

Barry is well-known in his home town of Warracknabeal for trying his hand at just about any sport. But one sport in particular has stuck with him since his junior years – lawn bowls. 

The dedicated lawn bowler and all-round sports fanatic is one of three finalists nominated for ‘male sportsperson of the year’ in this year’s Victorian Disability Sport and Recreation Awards. 



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The awards celebrate the achievements of sportspeople with a disability, the coaches, organisations, officials and volunteers who support them and the inclusive sport and recreation sector across Victoria. 

The winner will be announced at a virtual event on December 3. 

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic stopping his ‘tireless’ training schedule this year, Barry said he still had big plans for the future.

He said he was hoping to qualify for 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.

“Hopefully I will get picked for the games – there’s four in the squad at the moment, but the criteria might change between now and 2022,” he said. 

Barry has represented Australia in bowling team Jackaroos in the Cerebral Palsy World Games Australia for many years, travelling across the globe to compete against the world’s best. 

“I’ve been to England four times and played in America, South Africa, Scotland and Wales,” he said. 

“I’ve been in the Jackaroos squad since 2013, but I haven’t made the Commonwealth Games yet.”

This year would have marked 20 years Barry had represented his state as a part of Victorian Physical Disability State Side.

Before the pandemic, Barry would travel from his home town to Melbourne’s outer suburbs every Thursday to train with his team at Deer Park Bowls Club. 

And every Saturday and Sunday he would compete on game day before returning home late Sunday, just to repeat the same tight training schedule again. 

“I’d spend five hours travelling down on a Thursday. It was a three-hour bus ride and two train rides just to get to the station – then another 1.6-kilometre walk to the club,” he said. 

“I was playing Saturdays and Sundays in Melbourne and when I was in Warracknabeal I’d practise either Monday or Tuesday night too.

“I haven’t done too much training this year, but hopefully I can get back into competitions soon.” 

This year also marked Barry’s 27th year playing lawn bowls. 

His love for the sport sparked from humble beginnings when in 1993, aged 12, he would watch his grandmother and grandfather playing games at Warracknabeal Bowls Club. 

“I used to live across the road from the bowling club and sit on the fence and watch them play,” he said. 

“They eventually invited me in, and I started playing. I’ve got my grandmother’s old bowls from when she turned 80.

“I’ve always liked sport – I’ve played football since I was six and basketball since seven. Sport was always in my family. I still play for All Abilities Football and Netball Club Wimmera Whippets and I’ve played five different sports for Victoria for the past 20 years. 

“But after juniors, I just stayed in bowls.”

The entire October 21, 2020 edition of The Weekly Advertiser is available online. READ IT HERE!