Born in Milwaukee, Tom graduated from Nicolet High School (Glendale, Wisconsin), where he wrestled for Roland Strehlow and was the team captain his senior year and distinguishing himself as the schools University of Wisconsin "W" Club Award Winner in 1972. Upon graduation, he continued his wrestling career as a member of the team at University of Wisconsin Stevens Point and University of Wisconsin La Crosse (UWL) graduating from UW La Crosse in 1977, with a Bachelor of Science degree in Education. In 2009 he earned a Master of Education degree from Carroll University, Waukesha, Wisconsin. Tom's teaching and coaching career began in 1977 with a three year stint in Burnsville, Minnesota. In addition to teaching elementary physical education and coaching ninth wrestling, baseball and soccer, Tom was in charge of organizing and directing the 150 member youth wrestling club. Tom's interest and dedication to building successful programs through youth clubs continued as he moved to Prairie du Chien and Watertown. In 1980, McGarvie took a K-8 physical education teaching position at Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin where he was head wrestling coach as well as head baseball and assistant football coach. Over the next four years, he established and coached the Prairie du Chien Wrestling Club and the Prairie du Chien Merchants baseball team and grade school traveling teams. He orchestrated the creation of a baseball diamond at Prairie du Chien High School. McGarvie achieved USA Wrestling Silver and Bronze Level Coaching Certifications in 1980-81. McGarvie left Prairie du Chien in 1984 to spend a year as a graduate assistant coach at Augustana College in Sioux Falls, SD. He also served as an assistant for the USA Wrestling Junior Developmental Camp in Fort Collins, CO. In 1985, McGarvie moved to Watertown, Wisconsin. He spent the first three years as a high school tutor and the next 23 years teaching physical education at the elementary and high school levels. McGarvie took over the varsity wrestling program at Watertown in 1985 and coached the Goslings for 12 seasons. During that time, Watertown posted a dual meet record of 116-61-4 and won the Wisconsin Little Ten Conference tournament title and shared the regular season title in 1993. In 1994 McGarvie created a sixteen team individual tournament format he titled the Gosling Early Bird Scramble. The scramble format is used widely today in many high school wrestling events around the state. Eventually Watertown hosted two varsity invitationals as well as a large JV tournament and a large freshman scrimmage each year while McGarvie headed the program. McGarvie coached 12 individual conference champions and eight state place winners including undefeated state champion Glenn Pero in 1995. He qualified wrestlers for state competition during all 12 of his seasons with the program. McGarvie was particularly proud of his efforts to recruit students to wrestle and had as many as 85 students out for the team in one year, while never having less than 56 wrestlers on his Watertown teams. He also established the Watertown Wrestling Club. McGarvie also coached freshman football, middle school track and field, and boys and girls varsity tennis at Watertown High School. Over the years, McGarvie has served the sport of wrestling in numerous capacities. He was a member of the Wisconsin Wrestling Federation's Board of Directors from 1986-1995. From 1985-97, he was an assistant for the Wisconsin Junior National Team. From 1986-91 and in 1997, McGarvie acted as commissioner for the wrestling competition at the Badger State Games. He served as a district representative on the executive committee of the Wisconsin Wrestling Coaches Association from 1990-98 and served as that body's president in 1997-98. He served on the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association Wrestling Rules Advisory Committee and the initial WIAA Wisconsin Wrestling Minimum Weight Project committee. McGarvie officiated many folkstyle and international style tournaments as well as WWF State and USA Wrestling Junior Nationals. In 1997, McGarvie launched Wisconsin Wrestling Online (https://www.wiwrestling.com/), a website dedicated to kids, prep and collegiate wrestling in the Badger state. The site offers weekly prep rankings for teams and individuals during the season, as well as a community forum, links to other Wisconsin wrestling sites, feature articles and timely information on statewide wrestling events, camps and competitions. Coach McGarvie is most proud of the life success of individual students he was fortunate to work with over the years. He credits any success to the hard work of excellent students, assistant coaches and community members. He attributes his strong work ethic to his parents, Russell and Carol McGarvie. McGarvie has long taught and coached students to do the following three things: Do your best. Be a good person. Do the right thing.