Welcome Back, Coach Barry!

LEICESTER – The Wolverines and their new coach will rely on experienced seniors this winter season.

Chris Barry, an assistant coach for the Leicester High School football team, will be taking the reins of the school’s girls basketball team this season. Barry returns to coaching basketball after some time away from the hardwood to earn his graduate degree and to raise his family.

“As you know, I have been coaching football at LHS since 2004,” he said. “Most of these girls only know me as a football coach so it’s nice to show them what I know on the court. It’s also great to be back coaching basketball after not coaching for a few years.”

Barry has coached basketball, on and off, since 2002. He served mostly as a freshman and JV coach for Leicester. He left Leicester in 2008 to coach the boys’ varsity basketball team for one season at St. Mary’s in Worcester. He later took time off to pursue his Master’s degree to become a school counselor. He returned to Leicester to coach the JV boys from 2015-2017, but left again, he said, to spend more time with my family once his daughter was born.

Coach Chris Barry

Barry said he was eager to get back to coaching. “Knowing the previous girls coach left last year, I knew I wanted to get back into basketball and thought [about] coaching the girls here at LHS,” he said. “Now that I returned to the school in the role of a school counselor, it was a good fit for me. Most importantly, my wife approves as long as I find time to spend with my family.”

The last full season Leicester had was in 2020 when they finished with a record of 13-4. That team made it to the Division 3 district semi-final game, but lost to Millis. This season, the Wolverines will compete in the South Worcester County League in Division 4. Due to COVID, the team did not play last winter.

Fortunately for Barry, he has an experienced group of seven seniors and two juniors to help him transition back into Wolverine basketball. The seniors are Abigail Johnson, Jamaira Pye, Sarah Brouillard, Erin Gerber, Morgan Merrell, Fathia Agbaje, and Nicole Bahingire. The juniors are Ayva Connor and Sarah O’Connor.

Barry said Johnson, Connor, and O’Connor are three key returning players who had significant varsity minutes last season. “Abi

Abigail Johnson

will lead the front court and provide scoring down low. Ayva and Sarah are two of the best ball handlers on the team who will look to score when they have the ball and distribute to others.”

Johnson, who will also be expected to lead the team in rebounds, has played both the power forward and center positions for the Wolverines in the past and most likely will continue in that role. She is optimistic that the team’s chemistry will lead them to success on the court. “I think the seniors that we have on the team are experienced who played together through middle school and on travel teams and everything,” she said. “So, I know we all play well together. I think it’s going to be a good year.”

Although captains have not been chosen yet, Johnson could be one of the top candidates to fill that position. Regardless, she hopes to be a leader on the team. “I think leading by example is important and going to other gyms and being respectful of other teams is important. As a leader, I think I offer experience.

“I hope to put some points up and get some rebounds,” she said. “I hope to be strong on defense … As a team, I think our defense is strong and we’re all pretty athletic.”

Barry said the team’s strengths are energy and togetherness. “I was concerned how we would transition to the season with me being a new coach and not playing last year,” he said. “We have a great group of seniors with some solid juniors behind them. They are working hard, playing together, and trying their best to fit into a role that will help the team. We have some depth which will help in all aspects of the game. Offensively, we have three girls who can score the ball with another few who will get their chances as well.”

Jamaira Pye

Pye is expected to be a key contributor offensively for the team. “She will be one of the better scorers on the team and will have the ball in her hands often,” Barry said.

Pye said she brings “defense, scoring, and I think energy and attitude” at point guard. She also has experience playing off the ball as a shooting guard and small forward. Pye has a good shot, but has made an effort this season to be more aggressive driving to the hoop to score more. “That’s definitely been working so far,” she said. “Defensively, we are quick and speedy and as a point guard I am the first stop on defense. This season, I hope to get a lot of stops and score more points. As a team, I think we can make it far.”

Gerber will help Johnson in the front court at either small forward, power forward, or center positions. Barry said she “is an all-around player who will provide scoring, toughness and leadership.”

Gerber said her strength is rebounding and then passing the ball up the floor for quick transition scoring opportunities.

Erin Gerber

“I’m strong and I can kind of jump to a degree, but I’m aggressive,” she said. “I think that’s what I bring to the team. I come down strong with the ball for the point guard.

“I believe we can make it pretty far this season if we continue to practice and improve as we’ve been doing,” she said.

Merrell, who also has experience in both forward positions and at center, provides versatility and depth in the front court. “I feel I’m smart with the ball and know the plays and I feel I bring a lot defensively,” she said. “I’m tall and aggressive and strong in the paint … I want to see this team grow this year because a lot of players have not been on this team because of Covid. I think if we learn our strengths, grow as a team and learn to work together, we’ll be successful this year.”

Other key contributors will be Brouillard at power forward. Barry said she “will be a key post player, rebounder and leader.” Agbaje will serve as “a tough defender” for the team, he said.

Nicole Bahingire

Bahingire will provide depth at point guard and shooting guard handling the ball and distributing to scorers. “I want to be more confident with the ball and put up a lot of shots and make them,” she said.

However, she provides more than just depth in the backcourt. “Off-the-court, I bring laughter and happiness,” she said with a beaming smile. When I see a person down, I like to encourage them. Even if they miss a shot, I like to tell them that it’s all right … If I can encourage them and uplift them, it will help with their core energy.”

The team looks to participate in a few scrimmages in the preseason before their schedule officially begins on Monday, Jan. 3, 2022 against non-league opponent Uxbridge.