This is episode one of the new mini-series featuring former Minnesota High School basketball legends.  We tip-off this mini-series with Barry Wohler who was a three-sport star at Bird Island-Lake Lillian High School.  Barry is one of three athletes in the history of Minnesota to play in three state all-star games and he did it in football, basketball and baseball.  He won back-to-back state titles in both football AND basketball.  His father was his head coach for basketball.

Barry’s outstanding prep career led him to the University of Minnesota on a football scholarship, but an injury to his throwing hand made him focus mostly on basketball and baseball.  While at Minnesota he was on teams that won a Big 10 title in both basketball and baseball.  He left Minnesota after two years, where he pursued minor league baseball in the L.A. Dodgers organization and made it all the way to the Triple-A level.  He then played basketball for two seasons at St. Cloud State for a couple of very successful teams.  

After chasing his baseball dream, Barry decided to pursue coaching on the hardwood and started his coaching career at Belle Plaine High School.  He then went on to coach the men's basketball team at Hamline.  From there he ended up at Orono High School and in 2011 coached that team, that included his son Brady as a player to the Class 3A state title.  Barry is the only person in state history to win a basketball state title for both being coached by his father as a player and then being the head coach for his son.

He is now a member of the Minnesota High School Basketball Hall of Fame and just a tremendous guy and storyteller.  Enjoy this conversation in the Bare’s Den with Bird Island-Lake Lillian's – Barry Wohler.