Sensei Barry started his martial arts training whilst in high school in Coffs Harbour, training under Sensei Rod Bully & Sensei Steve Green of Kyokoshinkai and was graded by Shihan John Taylor. Barry stopped training after grading 8th Kyu due to HCS studies.

After several years and moving to Canberra after college, Barry met up with Richard Harris from Melbourne, and after a few discussions about Karate & martial arts, they started training in the staff room at lunchtimes. Richard is a student of the late Shihan Alan Murdoch and had been graded to Shodan prior to moving to Canberra.

Richard started advertising and a new club was formed training at the Isabella Plains Community Centre. As the club grew, Barry was graded on several occasions by Sensei Alan until Barry returned to the Northern Rivers in 1994 as 4th Kyu Purple Belt.

Barry was graded to 3rd Kyu Brown Belt by Sensei Richard during a visit to Lismore late 2003. Since then Barry was graded to 2nd Kyu Brown Belt by Sensei Alan Murdoch during is visit in March 2006, which sadly was the last time we saw Sensei before his passing in November.

March 2008 was a changing of the guard, when Sensei Stan handed over the club to Barry and David due to Stan relocating to Albury on the New South Wales/Victorian border.

Sensei Ennio Anselmi (5th Dan) travelled to Lismore in June 2008 and graded Barry & David to Shodan.

May 2010 during a visit to Melbourne for training with Ishitobi Sensei from Japan, Sensei Barry & David where awarded the grade of Nidan.

Sensei Barry was awarded the rank of Sandan (3rd Dan Black Belt) by Sensei Ennio in September 2013 after several days of intensive training

May 2015, Sensei Barry attended training sessions conducted by Ishtobi Sensei and after assesment, was awarded the teaching title of Jun-Shidoin or Associate Instructor within the Yamada-Ha Shito-Ryu Shukokai Karate World Union.