CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) – For two catchers who played in the Iowa High School Baseball All-Star Series, the path to the all-star games ran through some of the hardest moments of their lives.
Linn-Mar’s Brady Barry and Western Dubuque’s Brett Harris each faced serious health challenges before taking the field. Harris has been battling brain cancer for years. Barry underwent three surgeries during his junior year to remove non-cancerous tumors.
‘Every time you hit adversity’
Both players said their experiences shaped how they approach the game.
“I think every time that you hit adversity, it just makes a person stronger,” Harris said. “The more adversity a person hits, the tougher they get.”
Barry said his health journey changed the way he competes.
“It allows me to play more free and fun,” Barry said. “It’s like, ‘Wow, I’ve been through so much.’ I can go out there and represent my team and be my own player that I’ve worked for.”
Giving back to the game
Barry’s contributions extended beyond the field. According to Kyle Rodenkirk, Barry has worked with youth players in the Linn-Mar program without charge.
“He deals with a lot of our Linn-Mar youth baseball players,” Rodenkirk said. “He gives catching lessons to those kids and doesn’t ask for a dime. He just does it because that’s his way to give back.”
Linn-Mar head coach Ryan Rodenkirk reflected on what the players mean to the next generation of athletes watching.
“When I was in my son’s position as a nine-year-old, I looked up to these guys like crazy,” Rodenkirk said. “So it’s cool to see that come full circle, and give back to these guys and be good role models. There’s some little kids running around here and they’re looking up to these guys.”
Next steps
Both players will continue their careers at the college level. Barry will play at Luther College, while Harris will join the University of Iowa Hawkeyes.
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