Barbara is an OVAC product as a Wintersville High School graduate. While in high school, Barbara found a love of the sport of softball and as a freshman, began learning as much as possible about the pitching mechanics. Under the direction of Coach Jim DiCarlo, Barbara attended clinics as a player and studied the game with the help of her dad. During her high school career, she earned OVAC honors as a Player-of-the-Year along with East District accolades and an all-state honorable mention her senior year.

 Barbara continued her athletic and academic careers at Muskingum College (now University) under the direction of Coach Donna Newberry. She majored in mathematics with a secondary education teaching license all while continuing to learn as much as possible about the strategies of the game. Barbara finished her career as a 3-year letterwinner along with a couple of OAC championships and a trip to the Division 3 Softball College World Series. Barbara earned many post-season awards but is most proud of her unanimous selection to the all-OAC academic team as she graduated with summa cum laude honors.

 From college, Barbara was hired as a math teacher at Fort Frye Local schools in Beverly, OH. In her first year, Coach Dennis Bahen recruited her as the pitching coach and two years later, the program was turned over to her. Barbara continued to coach softball for over 20 years while also coaching numerous other sports and activities with a 5-year stint as the athletic director.

 Barbara’s favorite OVAC memories are numerous...from the OVAC semifinal softball championships to the OVAC senior all-star game as a player then again as a coach to the OVAC AD meetings and so on, but her favorite OVAC memories always include the PEOPLE...the PEOPLE are what makes the OVAC great and memorable for all. “Whether I was playing, coaching, watching, and now running an OVAC event, the- PEOPLE in the OVAC are exceptional. The passion, the history, the stories (and there are many) are incredible. It amazes me that my start in the OVAC has led me to so many memories and that is what I will treasure forever.”

 Currently, Barbara continues to teach math at Fort Frye Middle School as she enters her 29th year. She is married to another Fort Frye math teacher (Andy Sleek) who is very supportive of her new role as the Assistant Executive Director of OVAC. Barbara and Andy have 3 (almost 4) children: Colby, 22 and fiancee Madison of Cincinnati, OH; Catie 19, and Decker 13.