Lawn Bowls
21 May, 2024
Barry continues to excel at bowls
As a youngster, Josh Barry could only dream of the heights he has now reached in sport. But his success didn't come easily.
Barry, who has cerebral palsy, has spent hours practising and many more on public transport to allow himself to compete at the highest level.
Barry, 43, and from Warracknabeal, has been playing bowls for more than 30 years.
"I lived across the road from the bowls club growing up and I used to play cricket in the mornings and then go sit on our fence and watch bowls in the afternoon until they invited me in and ever since then I have been playing," Barry said.
"I played 20 years at Warracknabeal and I have been travelling; Ballarat for three years and now I travel to Melbourne, which I have been doing for the last seven years.
"I go every Thursday and come home on Sunday to play in the Melbourne Premier League, the highest competition in Victoria you can play."
Barry played previously for Deer Park and but currently plays at Clayton.
"It takes me seven hours to get there on public transport as I don't drive. I train with the players on a Thursday and then play Saturday and Sunday," Barry said.
Barry is currently part of the Australian Para Jackaroos squad and said he has been part of the group for the last 10 to 12 years.
On a national stage, Barry finished with silver at the 2023 Australia Para Nationals - 14 Point Pairs and with gold at the 2022 Australian Multi-Disability Championship - Open Triples.
He also competed recently in Victoria's bowls para championships, claiming the singles and finishing runner up in the pairs.
But bowls isn't the only sport Barry has excelled at.
He's represented the State in five different sports: AFL, basketball, bowls, cricket (indoor), soccer.
"Bowls took over," Barry explained.
"And I have been overseas eight or nine times playing bowls."
Barry said he has won the World Cerebral Palsy Bowls Championship before; the pairs twice and singles three times.
"I've been in the squad for the Commonwealth Games, but just haven't made it yet," Barry said, adding it's still a dream of his.
And Barry is not giving the sport away anytime soon, hoping bowls is made a part of the 2032 Brisbane Olympics and Para Olympics and he is selected.