Ray Barraclough shared a little in common with the architect of Pine Bluff High School’s first championship dynasty in the Arkansas football playoff era.
“First off, we were both in the National Guard,” said Marion Glover, thinking about his longtime assistant. “We were in the same unit, and at one point, I was the commander of the unit and football coach at Pine Bluff. He thought that was unfair, that he had to put up with me all the time.”
Barraclough coached defensive backs as Pine Bluff won four AAAA state championships between 1990-95, including three in a row, then became athletic director following Glover’s departure after the 1997 season. The two also worked together at Woodlawn in the 2000s, turning the Bears into a district championship program.
Barraclough died May 21, according to his obituary. He was 76 and a resident of Hot Springs.
“Barraclough coached secondary, but of course, he could coach anything,” Glover said. “Did he have an impact? Absolutely. He had a major impact. I personally leaned on our defense so much because I knew I could.”
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
As an educator, Barraclough taught chemistry at Pine Bluff and, according to the obit, also worked at four other southeast Arkansas school districts — Rison, Sheridan, Dermott and Gurdon. He graduated from Dollarway High School and the University of Arkansas at Monticello.
“He was hard-nosed, tough, going to make you do what you’re supposed to,” said Ryan Stinson, a 1989 Pine Bluff graduate and current Zebras baseball coach whom Barraclough hired in 2005. “Good guy and always shot it straight with you. Those guys … when we came through, they taught you good life lessons. You didn’t really understand it at the time, but once you grow up, become an adult and understand, those guys meant a lot to our well-being and our careers because they taught us the right way to play, the right way to be young men. Just a great guy and very well respected in the Zebra community.”
As a military man, Barraclough served in the Army and taught future warfighters military operations, retiring in 2008 as a first sergeant, according to the obit.
“Most of those coaches taught us a lot of discipline,” said Omar Allen Sr., a wide receiver and cornerback who won two state titles with the Zebras (1993-94) and was on the 1992 state runner-up team. “(Barraclough) was actually fun to be around. (He and Glover) were military guys. I won’t say it was all fun and love, but (Barraclough) cut me a little slack.”
Glover said Barraclough was one of many “extremely good coaches” who worked under him at Pine Bluff at one time or another, including Joe Hart, George Shelton, Billy Bock and Prestard Jordan. While assisting Red Parker at Woodlawn in 2008, Glover recalled Parker asking him about Barraclough, and Parker’s response confirmed something Glover said he already knew about Barraclough.
“Is Ray going to be here?” Glover said Parker asked. “I said, yes. He said, ‘Good, because we’re a better football team with him.'”
Glover resumed the head coaching role at Woodlawn in 2009. He and Barraclough retired after the season, according to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
Barraclough leaves behind Dana Barraclough, his wife of 55 years; daughter Stacy Barraclough-Davis; son Ryan Barraclough, who played at Pine Bluff while his father was on staff; five grandchildren; a great-grandchild; and a brother, among others. Services are scheduled for 11 a.m. May 31 at Gross Funeral Home in Hot Springs.
“He’ll be missed,” Allen said. “Even though he’s a Dollarway Cardinal, he taught all his students about the Zebra pride.”