Kirsten Garber, basketball
Kirsten Garber doesn’t have to look very far to be able to see a person she would want to emulate.
“My dad has probably had the greatest influence on me as an athlete,” Garber said. “He’s been my coach since I was in ninth grade. He just became the head coach my junior year, but he’s been the one who brought me into the gym. He has spent hours with me, just me and him, in the gym.”
John Garber used to be the golf coach at Waynesburg Central and coached LPGA player Rachel Rohanna and PGA Latinoamerica Tour golfer Robert Rohanna. But he gave up coaching golf once Kirsten got to high school. Of course, John knew Kirsten’s younger sister, Claire, and younger brother, Lucas, would follow.
“I think we were at least part of his decision because once I got to high school, he switched from golf over to basketball. My sister plays and my brother is in middle school, but he plays, too,” Kirsten said. “He kind of wanted to be able to see us play. When I was in middle school and he was the golf coach, he wasn’t able to come to my games. Once I got to high school, he made it one of his top priorities to be able to be a part of my athletic abilities.”
That kind of devotion to family stuck with Kirsten. So she will turn her 3.93 GPA at Waynesburg Central into a career as a teacher and coach. She will study elementary education at Mount Vernon Nazarene University, where she hopes to play basketball.
Garber became Waynesburg Central’s female winter sports selection in the Centennial Chevrolet Scholar/Athlete Spotlight program. Obviously a daughter of John, a teacher and coach at Waynesburg, and Lisa Garber of Waynesburg, Garber’s sophomore sister Claire plays soccer, basketball and runs track, while her brother, eighth grader Lucas, plays soccer, basketball and baseball.
“We were 9-11 overall and 5-7 in the section,” Garber said. “We missed the playoffs by one game. I play guard. I also run track and field. I run the 800, 1,600 and on the 4×800 relay, but basketball is my favorite sport. I just run track to stay in shape.”
This spring, she’ll be staying in shape for a potential college basketball career.
“I’m going to Mount Vernon Nazarene University in Mount Vernon, Ohio,” Garber said. “I’m hoping to play basketball there. I’ve been in contact with their coach. I’ve sent her some film from this year. They play NAIA Division II basketball. I plan to study elementary education.”
Chances are she’ll be very good at that, too. Just like her dad.