Barber has an extensive history in cross country and track. Barber ran both cross country and track collegiately at Greenville College, now known as Greenville University which is a small Christian DIII institution. Barber competed primarily in the 3k Steeplechase where he was a four-time NCCAA National Qualifier.
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Barber began coaching in 2021 as an assistant at Multnomah University for the Lions and was promoted to the head coach position in 2022. Under Barber, the team became nationally ranked peaking at number nine. Barber's teams in a short time broke school records in every event except for women's shot put, disc, and hammer. Barber during his tenure at Multnomah had 33 National Qualifiers, 20 All-Americans, and one National Runner Up.
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Barber himself still keeps very active and will often be seen training right alongside his team. Barber is currently training for a marathon with a PR of 2:58. Barber credits his success to being a listen first instruct second type coach.
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"You have to understand what your athletes are experiencing to be able to help them get better," Barber said. "I want to know my athletes on a personal level so that I can craft training plans that work best for them. I believe everybody needs a little something different to reach their maximum potential."
