Melissa “Missy” Kittle Kaiser graduated in the top tenth of her PBHS Class of 1990. During her school career, she became a two-year member of the National Honor Society, was named as the Colt Girl of the Month and served in the SADD organization. In 1989 she was crowned Miss Belington during the annual fall fair. But it was in the realms of athletics that she made her most indelible marks, both as a high school student and later as a coach.
Miss Kittle was listed among Who’s Who Among Young American Athletes while earning accolades as a Blue Chip trophy winner in the Lady Colt basketball program for four years. During her 12th grade year, she made a memorable game winning shot to help defeat the powerful University High School girls on the road. She was named to the All-Big Ten Conference first team following her sophomore, junior and senior seasons, and was a member of the WV Class AAA All-State Honorable Mention squad.
Following PB’s Commencement, Missy continued playing basketball at Alderson Broaddus, only to have her promising career cut short by injuries. She earned a Bachelor of Science Degree with a major in Physical Education from A-B in 1994, graduating with Cum Laude honors. Then, while earning Driver Education certification from Salem University, she became a versatile substitute teacher for Barbour County Schools.
From 2003 to 2009 she taught PE at Belington Elementary School and was named BES Teacher of the Year in 2004-05. Mrs. Kaiser was presented with an honorary Life Membership to the WV Congress of Parents and Teachers by the Belington Elementary PTA in 2009. During these years, she completed her Master’s Degree with an eye on promoting healthy lifestyles and good decision-making skills for community youth.
After teaching PE and Health at Belington and Philippi Middle Schools for two years, she accepted an opportunity to teach secondary level Health and Driver Education at Bridgeport High School. Over the past nine years, Missy has served as department chair and is a member of the School Leadership Team. She is a current board member of the WV Safety and Driver Education Association and was selected as WVAHPERD High School Health Teacher of the Year in 2018.
Her love of coaching and emphasis on discipline and conditioning is reflected in a 15-year career that began with Belington Middle girls’ basketball in 1998 and starting the school’s volleyball program in 2006. Mrs. Kaiser also served as assistant, and later, head coach of the PBHS softball program during the decade of the 2000s.
She may be best remembered for her remarkable coaching career at the helm of the girls’ and boys’ cross-country programs from 1998 to 2014. During this span, the Lady Colts dominated the WV Class AA harrier field by posting four consecutive state championships in 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013. Meanwhile the boys’ team won its own state title in 2011 and claimed runner-up honors in 2010 and 2013. The remarkable successes by the two Philip Barbour squads in 2011 marked only the fourth time in state history that a school had swept both AA-A titles. Missy Kaiser was named WV State Girls Cross Country Coach of the Year following the 2012 season.
Today Melissa Kittle Kaiser continues to serve as a health and driver education instructor at Bridgeport High School. She and her husband, Joe Kaiser, are active members of Faith Way Baptist Church and have been co-owners of Kaiser’s Coffee and Candy since 1994. They are the proud parents of two children, Merida and Josh.
Miss Kittle was listed among Who’s Who Among Young American Athletes while earning accolades as a Blue Chip trophy winner in the Lady Colt basketball program for four years. During her 12th grade year, she made a memorable game winning shot to help defeat the powerful University High School girls on the road. She was named to the All-Big Ten Conference first team following her sophomore, junior and senior seasons, and was a member of the WV Class AAA All-State Honorable Mention squad.
Following PB’s Commencement, Missy continued playing basketball at Alderson Broaddus, only to have her promising career cut short by injuries. She earned a Bachelor of Science Degree with a major in Physical Education from A-B in 1994, graduating with Cum Laude honors. Then, while earning Driver Education certification from Salem University, she became a versatile substitute teacher for Barbour County Schools.
From 2003 to 2009 she taught PE at Belington Elementary School and was named BES Teacher of the Year in 2004-05. Mrs. Kaiser was presented with an honorary Life Membership to the WV Congress of Parents and Teachers by the Belington Elementary PTA in 2009. During these years, she completed her Master’s Degree with an eye on promoting healthy lifestyles and good decision-making skills for community youth.
After teaching PE and Health at Belington and Philippi Middle Schools for two years, she accepted an opportunity to teach secondary level Health and Driver Education at Bridgeport High School. Over the past nine years, Missy has served as department chair and is a member of the School Leadership Team. She is a current board member of the WV Safety and Driver Education Association and was selected as WVAHPERD High School Health Teacher of the Year in 2018.
Her love of coaching and emphasis on discipline and conditioning is reflected in a 15-year career that began with Belington Middle girls’ basketball in 1998 and starting the school’s volleyball program in 2006. Mrs. Kaiser also served as assistant, and later, head coach of the PBHS softball program during the decade of the 2000s.
She may be best remembered for her remarkable coaching career at the helm of the girls’ and boys’ cross-country programs from 1998 to 2014. During this span, the Lady Colts dominated the WV Class AA harrier field by posting four consecutive state championships in 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013. Meanwhile the boys’ team won its own state title in 2011 and claimed runner-up honors in 2010 and 2013. The remarkable successes by the two Philip Barbour squads in 2011 marked only the fourth time in state history that a school had swept both AA-A titles. Missy Kaiser was named WV State Girls Cross Country Coach of the Year following the 2012 season.
Today Melissa Kittle Kaiser continues to serve as a health and driver education instructor at Bridgeport High School. She and her husband, Joe Kaiser, are active members of Faith Way Baptist Church and have been co-owners of Kaiser’s Coffee and Candy since 1994. They are the proud parents of two children, Merida and Josh.