Coach Barrett began coaching at McGill in 1984 but took a one-year sabbatical in 1985 to compete for Canada on the international bobsled circuit.  In 1988, he was also appointed coach of McGill's cross country squads.  Barrett has been named the Quebec conference coach of the year seven times in track and field and seven times in cross-country.
    A native of Kingston, Jamaica, he grew up in Dollard des Ormeaux, a suburb of Montreal, and received a track scholarship to New Mexico State University.  In 1979, he transeferred to Austin Peay State University in Tennessee and graduated Magna cum Laude with a B.Sc. in Health Sciences & Physical Education (1981).
    Barrett continued his education at McGill where he quickly became an All-Canadian and MVP for the Redmen track team in 1982-83.  A team captain that year, he set a number of school track records, leading the team to the provincial title, and qualified for the CIAU national championships in Toronto.