Debra Covey-Barnett was born September 7, 1961 in the town of Biggar, Saskatchewan. She played on Canada's Women's Senior National Field Hockey Team as midfielder between 1984 to 1994. During this decade she was reported to be one of four women to represent Canada at over 100 international tournaments. Following her years as field hockey defenseman, she coached Canadian Interuniversity Sport field hockey in Calgary Alberta as well as the Canadian Junior women's field hockey team in international meets. For her contributions as player and coach, Covey was inducted into the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame and presented with numerous awards.

During the 1981-82 sports season, she achieved the University of Alberta's Female Athlete of the Year award for her contributions in both volleyball and field hockey. As well, in 1981-1982, Covey was presented with the University of Alberta Most Outstanding Female Athlete Bakewell Trophy for volleyball. Covey finished two degrees while at the University of Alberta completing her Bachelors in Physical Education in 1983, an her Masters in Arts during 1989. During her years at college, Covey's teams achieved the "Canadian Interuniversity Athletics Union" (now called Canadian Interuniversity Sport) indoor championships. Covey married Andy Barnett and relocated from Calgary, Alberta to Florida then to New Jersey. She has two sons.

One of the first international competetions that the Women's Senior National Field Hockey team attended with Covey as player was the Field Hockey World Championships or Hockey World Cup in 1986. The team acquired the bronze medal for fourth place in this event. Under coach, Marina van der Merwe, the team again achieved fourth place during the 1987 Women's Hockey Champions Trophy held in Amstelveen The Netherlands. Following this, the team placed third at in the 1987 X Pan American Games held in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. The team traveled to Seoul, South Korea to compete in the 1988 Summer Olympics, the XXIV Olympiad, in which competition they placed sixth overall. In 1990 the team traveled to Sydney, Australia to again compete in the Hockey World Championships placing 10th. The silver medal was brought home in 1991 from the 1991 XI Pan American Games in Havana, Cuba. The Canadian team acquired 7th place during the 1992 XXV Olympiad Summer Games held in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. The team again traveled to the Hockey World Championships in 1993 to hold 10th spot in Dublin, Ireland.

Canada has sent a team to the Hockey World Cup four times since its inauguration in 1971 by the International Hockey Federation (FIH). Covey played in three of these games which can only be entered once every four years.

Between 1992 and 1999, Deb Covey-Barnett was head coach for the University of Calgary Dinos Field Hockey team. submitting her resignation in March of 2000. Rothbauer quote Don Wilson, U of C Athletic Director as saying that "Her technical skill and tenacity as a player took her to two Olympics. This type of leader will not be easily replaced. Aside from all of Deb's athletic ability, she cares deeply about the program and athletes and will be working with us to ensure field hockey continues forward."

In 1997, Covey was awarded the Marina Van Der Merwe Women's Coach of the Year award. Covey was inducted to the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame in 1999. She was presented with the 3M Elite Category Coach of the Year award as assistant field hockey coach of the Junior Women's National Team.

Bibliography:

"2009 Field Hockey Coaching Staff - University of Calgary Dinos". University of Calgary Athletics. 2009. http://www.godinos.com/coaches.aspx?rc=114. Retrieved 2009-10-24

Alberta Sport Hall of Fame Museum". Member Profile; Covey-Barnett, Debra (A). http://www.albertasportshalloffame.com/default.aspx?p=member&mid=51. Retrieved 2009-10-24.

"Canadian Olympic Committee - Sports - Field Hockey - Photos". Canadian Olympic Committee. http://www.olympic.ca/en/sports/Field-Hockey/photos/#page=5. Retrieved 2009-10-24.

"Championship History: 2009 CIS Women's Field Hockey Championship". Canadian Interuniversity Sport. 2009. http://www.universitysport.ca/e/championships/w_fieldhockey/2009/past.cfm. Retrieved 2009-10-24

"Deb Covey". Wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deb_Covey. History version 321844951. Retrieved 2009-10-24

Rothbauer, Kevin (March 30, 2000). "The Gauntlet® Sports - Coach Covey-Barnett announces resignation". Gauntlet Publication Society. http://www.thegauntlet.ca/a/story/2352. Retrieved 2009-10-24.

"University of Alberta Centenary 2008: Bakewell Trophy". Most Outstanding Female Athlete. University of Alberta. 2008. http://www.ualbertacentennial.ca/achievements/athletics/pandas/bakewell.html. Retrieved 2009-10-24.

Where are they now? - New Trail Magazine - University of Alberta". Debra Covey-Barnett, ’83 BPE, ’89 MA volleyball and field hockey. University of Alberta UofA Web Project. 2002-2009. http://www.uofaweb.ualberta.ca/newtrail/nav03.cfm?nav03=65866&nav02=65853&nav01=65852#sidebar7. Retrieved 2009-10-24.