Brett Barry, Kayla Beaver, Carita Cole, Davon DeMoss and Tarius Johnson are scheduled for induction into the Jackson-Madison County Sports Hall of Fame, when the 40th annual event is held at 6 p.m., Thursday, April 16, 2026 at the Carl Perkins Civic Center.
Terry Smith will be the recipient of the 2026 Billy Schrivner Distinguished Service Award.
In the first of a series, Golden Media Group visited with Brett Barry for a Question & Answer session about his induction.
Question: First, a little background information – family, education, career?
Answer: I’m originally from Jackson and I graduated from high school Jackson Christian and college at Union University. I’ve been married 11 years – and counting – to Jami, a volleyball player I met at Union. We have two girls – Halle, 5 and Sophie, 2.
I’m currently a Regional Risk Manager at Federated Insurance leading a team of premium auditors on the east coast.
Question: What were your thoughts when you first learned you had been selected for induction into the 2026 Jackson-Madison County Sports Hall of Fame?
Answer: Humbled, of course … honored to be considered worthy of being mentioned with the best athletes to come from Jackson, TN.
Honestly, I thought back to 2009 when I was able to attend the Jackson-Madison County Sports Hall of Fame ceremony as the male representative from Jackson Christian, wondering at 18 years old if I could work hard enough to make it back there as a Hall of Fame inductee. Very neat to see that dream come to fruition now.
Question: You lettered in four sports at Jackson Christian – golf, basketball, baseball and track. Can you say which was your favorite, and how did you balance your school work while participating in athletics throughout the school year?
Answer: It was a blast to be a part of so many teams at Jackson Christian. Baseball was – and always will be my favorite sport – but surprisingly, I had more fun playing basketball than anything else. A coaching change allowed me to play my senior year and I’m extremely grateful I got the chance to lace it up and contribute to a good team.
I made sure to pay very close attention in class and take meticulous notes in order to stay up to speed and excel in the classroom. I respected my teachers, partnered with them in my education, and invested in the learning process. Sounds very nerdy, but I loved school!
Question: You made two choices after graduating from high school. You would attend Union University for your education and continue to play golf in the process. Why Union and why golf?
Answer: I always saw myself going to Union, even though every athlete has visions of D1 (Division One) grandeur. My dad used to take me to Union University basketball games as a boy, allowing me to sit with him at the scorer’s table while he ran the book. I grew up in the Union culture and knew how special it was.
I developed a relationship with Coach – and fellow HOF member – Andy Rushing through baseball instruction in high school, and that bond with him only solidified my desire to attend Union.
Regarding the choice to golf, I learned in high school that I had a lower ceiling in baseball than I had hoped; I struggled to get the bat through the zone and turned into more of a slap hitter than someone who could drive the ball gap to gap.
I was good at golf in high school, but I knew once I gave it more time and attention, I could become great. Once Coach Rushing showed official interest in me joining his golf team at Union, it was an easy choice.
Question: During your time as a member of the golf team at Union University, was there any one event or accomplishment that stands out?
Answer: My sophomore year, the TranSouth Conference Championship. We entered the final round trailing Cumberland University with a trip to the national tournament on the line.
We had been neck and neck with Cumberland all year long and knew it would be a tough fight at conference. Cumberland played great in the first two rounds, but we were within striking distance and we were Bulldogs: we always finished strong.
You could feel the momentum building throughout the final round – watching action from across other fairways and pumping each other up as much as teammates can during a round.
It was my duty to anchor the team, teeing off in the last group and ultimately being the last player to decide our fate. By the time I reached the 18th tee, we had completed the comeback. All I had to do was tie or beat my Cumberland competitor on that hole and we were going to the natty.
The 18th hole had my number all week long; I had yet to par it in three attempts. It was a long, demanding Par 4 with a hazard on the left and thick trees on the right. As the other teams and spectators waited by the green, Coach Rushing and teammate Micah Gentle stood by the tee box. We all knew what was at stake, and after I made the best swing of the week ripping a driver down the fairway, Micah’s “Attaboy!” with tears forming through a grin is a moment burned in my brain.
Coach Rushing’s patented silent nod gave me all the confidence I needed, and I secured a par for us to win the conference and get Micah and senior Matt Kelley to the national championship.
Question: Would you give us an idea of what you will speak about when you are inducted into the Hall of Fame?
Answer: We don’t have a ton of time behind the microphone, which is probably a good thing since, rumor has it, I am still talking from my Union University Hall of Fame acceptance speech!
This time will be about thanking those who were most influential during my sporting career in Jackson and sharing the good news of the Gospel through a plain and simple message.
For tickets and reservations for the Jackson-Madison County Sports Hall of Fame event, call Beth Sedberry (731) 616-8558.
