Long-time high school football coach Ken Barrett died on Saturday. He was 93.
Barrett’s family made the announcement on social media, saying Barrett died less than 24 hours after entering hospice care.
Barrett was a 1950 Princeton Butler graduate who was a standout halfback on the Tigers’ 1949 team, which went 6-3.
Barrett was head coach at Trigg County from 1967-70, leading the Wildcats to the school’s first district title and playoff appearance in 1967.
His 1970 team posted a 6-3-1 record and set several offensive school records that stood for decades.
After the 1970 season, Barrett left for Alabama where he coached at Albertville High School.
He returned to Kentucky in 1973 where he coached at North Marshall High School and later Marshall County after consolidation.
Barrett took the Russellville job in 1976, starting one of the most successful coaching tenures in western Kentucky football history.
His Russellville squads won Class A state titles in 1980, 1983, and 1990. His Panthers were also state runners-up in 1987.
Barrett was 162-103 in his time at Russellville (1976-98) and had an overall coaching mark of 246-153. He was inducted into the Kentucky High School Athletic Association, known as Dawahare’s KHSAA Hall of Fame, in 1996.
The field at Rhea Stadium in Russellville was named Ken Barrett Field in 2017, with a marker unveiled in 2019.
Barrett was inducted into the Kentucky High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame in 1996.
Funeral services for Barrett are pending.
2 Responses
Am so sorry to hear of the great loss of Ken. His work with the RHS team was amazing- in every way. The last time I saw was him was in Bowling Green at a musical production. I believe Janet ( last name’s are escaping me- Howards’s wife)was in that group on that day as well. Our thoughts are coming your way.❤️
Me too Darlene. A great man and coach