Chris Garber - 2024 Sports Breakfast Hall of Fame

Chris Garber graduated from Handley High School in 1975. Her amazing athletic career at Handley was highlighted by her winning the 1975 AA Girls State Tennis Championship. This made her Handley's first female State Champion. After high school, she attended Radford College, majoring in Health and Physical Education, and starring at the #1 Player position on the Radford Tennis Team for three consecutive years. Post graduation, Chris received a master’s degree in Sports Education from Eastern Kentucky University, and a master’s degree in educational administration from Shenandoah University. She then spent 34 years in Education as a teacher and/or administrator. Simultaneously, she was a highly successful basketball and tennis coach. During her stellar career, she won a AA State Girls Basketball Championship at Radford High School, a AA State Girls Tennis Championship at Radford High School, and two AA State Girls Tennis Championships at Handley High School. 

Chris served as the first female Athletic Director in Rockingham County at Broadway High School, and as the first female Athletic Director in Frederick County at Millbrook High School. Chris was inducted into the John Handley Hunter Maddox Hall of Fame as a player (the first female to be so honored) and into the Radford High School Athletic Hall of Fame as a coach. Chris offers the following quote to summarize her success: "John Handley High School afforded me the opportunity to strive and to achieve my professional aspirations with great mentors in Jimmy Omps and Nikki Isherwood. Two other individuals that have been huge influences in my career were Norman Lineburg at Radford High School, and my brother, Chip Garber. I have been fortunate to be in the right place at the right time to have the opportunity to have coached some very talented high school athletes."

Chris was the first female athlete inducted into the Hunter Maddex Hall of Fame. She was inducted into the Radford High School Athletic Hall of Fame as a coach.