Barrett Saunders was born to Stanley Saunders and Rhoda Rolle-Saunders in 1985. Growing up he
participated in youth football and club track and field, coached by his father. He competed in the Junior
Olympics several times in many different events but excelled the most in long and triple jump. Saunders
was named an All-American seven times.
Barrett came to The Benjamin School his freshman year of high school. He was a 4-time letter winner in
football, where he played wide receiver, running back, cornerback, during his time playing football the
Bucs won three district championships and made a State Semi Finals appearance, he was also a 3-time
letter winner in track. He won the State Championship in the long and triple jump his senior year and
was named an All-American. During his time at Benjamin, Saunders broke the school record in the high,
long, and triple jumps and was on the record holding 4x100 team. He still currently holds the long and
triple jump records and is the only boys’ field event state champion in school history.
Barrett continued his success on the track as a scholarship athlete at the University of Kansas. In his
junior season he won the Big 12 Championships with a long jump of 7.82 meters to become the first
conference champion in the long jump at Kansas since 1983 and the first long jump champion in Kansas
Big 12 history. He went on to win the Midwest Regional Championship and obtained All-American
honors after finishing 5th at the NCAA Championships. Senior year, Saunders was named team captain.
During his time at Kansas, Barrett qualified for the Olympic Trials and was a nine time All-Big 12 first
team honoree between the long jump and 4x100. He also remains on the Top 10 All-Time List in the long
jump and 60 meters in KU history.
After college, Saunders competed professionally in the long jump and again qualified for the Olympic
Trials.
Barrett’s father became ill and he moved back home to Palm Beach. Following in his father’s coaching
footsteps, he became an Assistant Cross Country and Track and Field Coach for The Benjamin School. In
2017, Saunders became the Head Boys Track and Field Coach. During his time as a Coach, Barrett has
coached 7 school record holders in 9 events and 14 All-State honorees. Coach Saunders led the 2019
Boys’ Track and Field Team to its first district championship in over a decade. Coach Saunders topped off
his 2019 season by having one of his athletes named Palm Beach County’s Small Schools Boys Track
Athlete of the Year and being honored as Palm Beach County’s Small Schools Boys Track Coach of the
Year, again following in his father’s footsteps.