Niwot girl's basketball coach Terri Ward cherishes relationship with Ceal Barry

Niwot High School girl's basketball head coach Terri Ward has quite the connection in the world of women's athletics. Ward, who is also a graduate of Niwot High, was the Director of Basketball Operations at the University of Colorado in the mid-1980s under legendary University of Colorado women's basketball coach, Ceal Barry.

The two have continued to be close friends after Ward's path took her to Niwot over 30 years ago. Barry ended her coaching career in 2005 and in May, Barry announced her plans to retire as CU's deputy athletic director and senior women's administrator. She ends her career with 43 years in college athletics and was the fifth-longest athletic department employee in CU history. Ward couldn't be happier for her friend and mentor.

"She will be remembered probably as the ultimate Buffalo," Ward said. "She was great for the women's sports over there, she was a great senior women's administrator. When you think of women's sports in Colorado, she's one of the first people that comes to mind."

Not many high school coaches have a better mentor than Barry, who was elected to the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 2018. Ward admits that she always tried to emulate what Barry offered as a head coach and leader of a program. Her style translated well to the high school game with Ward landing a spot in the Colorado High School Activities Association Hall of Fame in 2019.

"My whole coaching philosophy, especially defensively, is all because of Ceal," Ward said. "A lot of the ways I run my program are because of the eight years I spent working with her."

It was a valuable eight years indeed for Ward who learned a lot from the winningest coach in CU history. Barry's style may not be for all, but it was successful.

"She was demanding, but not in a bad way," Ward said. "There were rules and regulations and expectations and if you did your job, and whether you were a player or an assistant coach or whatever, as long as you did what you were supposed to do, life was good."

Off the court, Ward also picked up on Barry's commitment to community service and giving back. It's rare to find a high school program that is as dedicated to giving back as Ward's team is, and she said it's in large part due to Barry.

"It's just the way she reaches out in the community (and) gives back to the community, just as far as off the court stuff goes, and that's what we do," Ward said. "We do community service every month (and) in December it's twice a month. It's just the way you present yourself, the way you want your team to present themselves and who they are and expectations of how they behave and who they represent. She's (Barry) very, very, influential in the way our program looks."

But their relationship shoots far past basketball. Ward said they can go months without seeing each other due to their busy schedules, but when they reunite, it's just like old times.

"I would say she's probably one of my three best friends," Ward said. "During the basketball season for me or even during when she's working, it's tough. But we can go two or three months and not have spent a whole lot of time together and then we pick up right where we were. She's that kind of friend for me."

As Barry enters retirement, Ward reflects on their cherished relationship.

"We had a great time," Ward said. "Lots and lots of fun stories, fun memories, and like I said, we pick right back up and go into that mode sometimes when we get together. It's always a fun time."