A graduate of Walkersville High School, Sonny Barrick excelled in soccer, basketball, baseball, and track. During his junior year, the soccer team went undefeated and captured the 1963 county title. As a senior, Barrick helped the Walkersville team win the 1964 Maryland State Basketball Championship. As an outstanding pole vaulter, he maintained the school record from 1963 to 1986. His strongest sport was baseball, and he was considered one of the best catchers in the tri-state area. He played four years at the University of Maryland and returned to Frederick County, where he dedicated more than half his life to coaching young baseball players. Through his baseball coaching efforts and dedication, Barrick touched the lives of hundreds of local athletes.