Tom Ritchie begins his fourth year as the director of recreation programs in 2018-19. It will be his 11th year as an assistant professor in Harding's kinesiology department.
Tom does color commentary on the Harding Sports Network for the Lady Bison volleyball team and both the men’s and women’s soccer teams.
Prior to coming to Harding, Ritchie spent 16 years as a teacher and coach in the Fauquier County Public Schools system in Warrenton, Virginia. He coached four different sports during that time, including soccer (16 years), volleyball (14 years), field hockey (three years) and basketball (two years). He retired as the camp director at Camp Wamava in Linden, Virginia, in 2010 a position he had held since 1993.
Ritchie earned his B.A. at Harding in 1980 and began his teaching and coaching career in 1981 at Brown's Lane Christian School in Louisville, Kentucky. Ritchie then returned to Harding from 1983-85 as a graduate assistant for the newly-launched Lady Bison volleyball program. He earned his M.Ed. in health, recreation and physical education in 1985.
During his coaching career, Ritchie coached 52 seasons in different sports. He has 24 years of soccer coaching experience and 17 years of volleyball coaching experience.
Ritchie is married to the former Debbie Houff of Casanova, Virginia. The couple have four children--Thomas, Jamie, Melissa and Christy. Thomas is a 2004 Harding graduate, Melissa is a 2010 Harding graduate and Christy is a 2013 Harding graduate.
