DHS Patron/Contributor/Coach/AD 1983-Present

Barry Parsons has been a huge part of Defiance High School athletics for more than three decades. He was the head football coach from 1983-88,  and from 1999-2006 served as the athletic director. In addition, Parsons was an assistant football coach in 2008 and 2009.

The list of accomplishments, however, goes way beyond. The long list of contributions includes:

Reorganization of athletic offices and storage areas.

Development of student athletic and coaches handbooks.

Development of extensive coaching evaluation procedures.

Re-establishment of the DHS Hall of Fame, where he currently serves as committee chairman.

Development of new cross country course in wooded area behind DHS.

Development of separate soccer stadium.

Development of past baseball and softball complexes.

Procurement of light poles from the City of De?ance.

Raised money for lights for baseball and softball varsity ?elds.

Negotiation of one of the largest soft drink contracts in the state of Ohio by a single high school district (Coca Cola /$1.2 million).

Helped to facilitate the building of a three-level press box at Fred J. Brown Stadium with soft drink mon

Helped to procure money and complementary phones for the district by negotiating a contract for rental space for a telephone tower on campus.

Organization of a buying consortium for pole vault pits in northwestern Ohio that resulted in each of the 16 districts saving thousands of dollars.

Organization of School Board’s purchase of two gymnasiums at the De?ance YMCA

Secured funding for Finish Lynx track and cross country timing system.

Worked with John Deere for procurement of Gators for DHS athletic uses.

NationalAssociation of Physical Education and Sports Athletic Director of the Year in Ohio 2001.

Barry and his wife Cheryl will be celebrating their 48th wedding anniversary on June 28. They have two girls, Kiersten Hathcock (husband Scott) and Traci McMullen (husband Phil) and four grandchildren, Noal (19) and Grace (15) Hathcock and Chase (11) and Riley (9) McMullen.