My name is Alexis Barry, and I grew up in Brea, California. Soccer has been a huge part of my life since I started playing at five years old. I began as a defender before eventually finding my place in goal, where my passion for goalkeeping began. I played four years at Whittier Christian High School and continued for four years at Corban University in Salem, Oregon, where I earned my bachelor’s degree in Biblical Studies and a master’s degree in Christian Leadership.

Faith has always been a huge part of my life. I grew up in a family deeply involved in our church, with parents who faithfully supported me in both my faith and athletics. I’m incredibly grateful for the foundation they gave me and for the opportunity to now share that same love for Jesus with my own family.

While at Corban, I met my husband, Chris. After college, we moved back to Southern California and were married in 2015. We now have two boys, Jensen and Hunter, and love spending time together playing sports, riding horses, traveling, and being with family.

Along with soccer and ministry, I have a passion for photography and own From My Lens Photography. I’m excited to bring together my love for Jesus, soccer, goalkeeping, and encouraging young athletes through the SoCal Eagles.

My connection to Missionary Athletes International began in high school, when I volunteered as a coach at Seahorse summer camps. Paul Gizzi was a familiar presence during my years playing soccer at Whittier Christian, where many students went on to attend Biola University.

Years later, while working on a project for one of my undergraduate classes, I was assigned to write a fundraising letter for a mission trip. I chose to use information from the Seahorse Japan trips for the assignment. Not long after I finished, I received a call from Gizzi—he was looking for a goalkeeper to join that summer’s ministry trip to Japan. What began as a class project became a real opportunity to use soccer for ministry.

After returning from Japan, Gizzi invited me to work in the Seahorse office. I joined the staff and spent the next few years helping develop women’s ministry and working toward building a women’s team, along with serving in a variety of other roles. When our oldest son, Jensen, was born, I stepped away from the Seahorses to focus on being a mom.

Now, almost ten years later, God has brought our family back to MAI. This time, I’m returning not as a Seahorse, but as an Eagle. Both of our boys have participated in Eagles summer camps and recreational programs, and it has been incredibly special to experience this ministry again as a family.

It feels like a full-circle moment—returning to a ministry that had such an impact on my own faith and soccer journey, now with the opportunity to serve alongside my husband with our boys. We are excited to see what God has in store for our family and how He will use us through the SoCal Eagles.

I will be serving through both Youth Operations and the Creative Team, combining my passions for ministry, soccer, and photography. I’ll help by coaching our youth programs and goalkeeper training sessions, while also using my creative background to capture and share the stories of what God is doing through the Eagles.