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 earning the schools University of Wisconsin "W" Club Award  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, 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 in Burnsville, Minnesota. He taught elementary physical education and coached 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, he took a K-8 physical education teaching position at Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin where he was head wrestling coach, head baseball and assistant football coach. He established the Prairie du Chien Wrestling Club and the Prairie du Chien Merchants baseball team, grade school traveling teams and orchestrated the creation of a baseball diamond at Prairie du Chien High School. In 1980-81 he earned USA Wrestling Silver and Bronze Level Coaching Certification.

In 1984-85 he was a graduate assistant coach at Augustana College in Sioux Falls, SD and served as an assistant at the USA Wrestling Junior Developmental Camp in Fort Collins, CO.

In 1985, McGarvie moved to Watertown, Wisconsin where he taught physical education at the elementary and high school levels. He took over the varsity wrestling program in 1985 coachingj the Goslings for 12 seasons. During that time, Watertown posted a dual meet record of 116-61-4 winning the Wisconsin Little Ten Conference tournament title and sharing the regular season title in 1993. In 1994 McGarvie developed a sixteen team individual tournament format titled the Gosling Early Bird Scramble. The scramble format is used widely today in many high school wrestling events around the state. 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, eight state place winners and undefeated 1995 State Champion Glenn Pero. Watertown qualified wrestlers for state competition during each of his12 seasons with the program. He was particularly proud of the number of students to wrestle each year having as many as 85 students on the team, while never having less than 56. He established the Watertown Wrestling Club, coached freshman football, middle school track and field, and boys and girls varsity tennis at Watertown.

Over the years, McGarvie has served the sport of wrestling in numerous capacities including;  at-large member of the Wisconsin Wrestling Federation's Board of Directors (1986-1995), assistant coach Wisconsin Junior National Team (1985-97), Badger State Games Wrestling Commissioner (1986-91, 1997), served as a district representative on the executive committee of the Wisconsin Wrestling Coaches Association from 1990-96 and 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 events as well as USA Wrestling Junior Nationals.

In 1997, McGarvie launched Wisconsin Wrestling Online, 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.

McGarvie is most proud of the success of individual students he was fortunate to work with. 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. He is thankful for the love of his brothers Rob and Rick and extended family. McGarvie has long taught and coached students to do the following: Do your best. Be a good person. Do the right thing.

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