Hunter Maddex was born in Jefferson County, West Virginia and chose to attend nearby Shepherd College where he earned his bachelors degree in 1934. He participated in football, basketball and track while at Shepherd and became Shepherd’s first All American in football.

Hunter came to Handley in 1938 after teaching and coaching at Charles Town High School and earning his masters degree at Columbia University. He was head football coach at Handley for two years with a 6-9-1 record before he entered the Army Medical Corps during World War II.  He returned to Handley in 1946 after three years of military service.

The 1946 football team had a record of 8-1-0 under Coach Maddex and assistant coaches “Snag” Sargent and Dick Kern. Beginning that year, Handley won 66% of its football games over the next 15 years.

Hunter was Handley’s head coach for 515 basketball games. His teams won 61% of their games over 26 seasons.

Throughout the 1960’s, Hunter was head coach and Athletic Director for John Handley High School. Hunter became the Assistant to Superintendent Jacob Johnson in 1967. He retired in 1974.

David Rice, Handley Class of 1979, recently wrote that Hunter Maddex was the Knute Rockne of Handley High School. “He guided hundreds of young people, not just in athletics, but in life and he did so with a sense of humor, a sense of history, and as a friend.”

The Judges Athletic Association established its Hall of Fame in 1980. It was named the Hunter Maddex Hall of Fame in honor of the legendary coach and administrator who had served the students of Handley and Winchester Public Schools for 36 years.