Written by Chloe Chan 

There’s no question that cannot be answered if you truly want the answer. There’s no problem that cannot be solved if you’re committed to solving it. If you truly want to change, you can – but it may require sacrifice. And if you want to impact someone else’s life, sometimes you have to humble yourself.” 

— Coach Barry Miller 

Those words aren’t just something Coach Barry Miller says – they’re the principles that have guided his life. 

Long before he became a coach, mentor, or one of the Ann & Steve Hinchliffe San Pedro & Peninsula YMCA’s most recognizable faces, Barry learned that growth comes through perseverance, humility, and the willingness to invest in others. Every chapter of his life – from a difficult childhood, to military service, to boxing, to three decades of mentoring young people – reflects that belief. 

In 1996, Barry was training an amateur boxer as he made the transition to the professional ranks at the YMCA. Barry entered as a guest, but it didn’t take long for staff to notice that he offered much more than just a boxing session. 

“They saw I wasn’t just teaching boxing,” Barry recalls. “I was working with kids.” 

The YMCA staff saw Barry’s natural ability to connect with young people. Barry then began to volunteer by teaching a boxing class and helping with youth sports. Before long, that opportunity became a job – and what started as a single class grew into a career that has now spanned to 30 years and counting. Ask Barry why he stayed all this time, and his answer comes without hesitation: 

“I’ve always loved working with kids.” 

The Coaches Who Believed in Him 

This passion for mentoring young people didn’t begin when he started coaching: Barry was a kid who needed a mentor himself. Growing up wasn’t easy, and he openly described his family life as complicated. 

Here, sports became his refuge. Football, baseball, basketball, wrestling, and track gave him purpose, while choir and school plays gave him confidence and an escape from a difficult environment. 

Teachers and coaches saw potential in him before he saw it in himself. ‘They were always telling me I could do more. They invested in me.’ That investment became the blueprint for the rest of his life. 

Seeing a Bigger World 

After graduating from high school during the Vietnam War, Barry enlisted in the US Air Force. Stationed in the Azores (an island region off of Portugal), he experienced new cultures and perspectives that broadened his worldview. “It showed me there was a much bigger world than the one I grew up in,” Barry recounts. 

Wherever he went, sports remained: as Barry describes it, sports were “the common denominator.” They connected him with people from different backgrounds, opened doors to new opportunities, and reinforced the lessons in discipline, teamwork, and leadership that would later define his coaching philosophy. 

Coaching Beyond the Game 

Barry believes coaching begins with trust, not instruction. Many children come in carrying burdens that aren’t immediately visible. Before they can learn, they need to know someone genuinely cares. 

Barry measures success by the lives he has influenced, not the number of championships won. 

He then goes on to recall countless children he coached that come back to visit years later, thanking Barry for the role he played in their development. 

“I don’t take credit for any of it,” Barry says. “I was just one person who invests.” These former participants who return as adults are his greatest reward. 

Meeting The Greats 

Although he can recall numerous of encounters with iconic athletes, one of Barry’s favorite memories came when Muhammad Ali visited the boxing gym where he was training in Long Beach. 

Instead of asking for an autograph, Barry earnestly challenged the stone-cold star by saying, “Hey champ, my hands are faster than yours.” Later, Barry and his team traveled with Ali to the Long Beach Airport as they prepared to fly to a professional boxing event. Throughout the trip, Barry kept hearing an odd clicking sound near his ear. Every time he turned around, no one seemed responsible. Finally, he caught Ali smiling. One of the trainers laughed and explained, “He likes you. That’s what he does with people he likes.” 

Barry also performed at a boxing exhibition attended by Sugar Ray Leonard. Afterward, Sugar Ray’s wife approached him and shared something he never expected to hear: his performance had moved Leonard to the point where he had cried. 

For Barry, moments like those weren’t about celebrity encounters. They were reminders that greatness is built through years of discipline, dedication, and an unwavering commitment to mastering your craft. Meeting two of boxing’s legends only strengthened the lessons he already believed in – that excellence requires hard work, humility leaves the greatest impression, and the smallest moments of encouragement can stay with someone for a lifetime. 

A Legacy of Service 

After thirty years at the YMCA, Barry still believes leadership is about investing in others. Championships fade, but lives changed endure. 

He hopes every young person who walks through the YMCA doors leaves believing they are capable of becoming more than they imagined. 

His life is proof that one caring coach, teacher, or mentor can alter the course of someone’s future. Today, Coach Barry strives to be that person for every child he meets. 

For more information about how you can get involved to make a meaningful impact in the lives of others, visit our volunteer page.