If these accusations are proven false, I hope Coach gets all that money. 

But remember....It's about the kids.

 

 

 

From the link above:

https://lettertocollinshigh.com/

Letter to Collins High

My name is Hayley (Murphy) Weddle and I’ve debated for 11 years if I would ever come forward about my experience with Chris Gaither. 

I am highly aware of his reputation in Shelbyville, KY where I never thought anyone would believe me or even care that he did this to me. However, I am now also aware that this didn’t stop with me… I suspect that inappropriate behavior with students is a cycle for Chris Gaither and for the sake of the young women in our community, he must be stopped. 

The following account will detail a situation in which I was groomed as an underage high school student and subsequently persuaded to have sex immediately following graduation.

On November 18, 2025, I was contacted by Shelby County Public Schools because my name was reported in relation to Chris Gaither. Caught extremely offguard, I complied and answered their questions. That afternoon, Chris Gaither was walked out of practice by school officials. After giving SCPS confirmation that I would deliver my written statement, Chris Gaither was reinstated before they received it. 

Below is my statement that I hand delivered to Shelby County Public Schools at 12:15pm on December 4, 2025. During this meeting, I sat down with three SCPS officials and my witness, Amanda Lamping, to describe my experience. Chris Gaither coached at the Collins game that night. 

Lastly, while I am aware there is a lawsuit involving Chris Gaither, I do not know or have ever spoken to the families involved.

 

 

December 4, 2025

To the members of the Shelby County School Board,

My name is Hayley (Murphy) Weddle and I am sharing my personal experience with Martha Layne Collins high school teacher and coach, Christopher (Chris) Gaither. I am offering this account because it is important for the board to hear what I experienced during my time as a student and beyond graduation.

Beginning when I was 17 years old, from fall 2012 through my graduation in May 2014, I received messages from Chris Gaither through text and Snapchat. I can confidently say these were outside what would be exchanged with a teacher/coach - I served as one of the team managers my junior and senior year at Collins. Many messages came late at night, often after he said his wife had gone to bed. Amanda (Zepeda) Lamping was a witness to these conversations during our senior year of high school. On the first day of my senior year, Chris Gaither commented on my appearance in the hallway saying that I looked good and that I had lost weight.

Chris Gaither frequently pulled me out of class during my senior year- especially during basketball season. Sometimes I would start the laundry for the team but usually I would just sit in his classroom. He rarely had very many students in his class, if any at all.

On the night of an away game, I left my blanket on the bus but did not ride home on the bus. I texted Chris Gaither and asked him to leave it in the locker room for me so I could get it at a later date. Chris Gaither brought it to my house instead. Chris Gaither proceeded to talk to me for 10+ minutes making me feel very uncomfortable. Chris Gaither repeatedly asked me if I had a boy inside even after I told him no. My parents were not home that night - my dad was battling terminal cancer at the time and they were frequently at the hospital.

Chris Gaither inserted himself into a relationship I had with another male student. He frequently asked questions about myself and this student and gave his opinions about our relationship.

Chris Gaither would continuously pursue communication outside of school and basketball. For example, he was texting me while at a family party during the holidays in 2013. A family member saw his name on my phone and questioned why he would he contacting me outside of school.

In December 2013, the team was on an overnight trip for a tournament. Chris Gaither made a joke about the previously mentioned male student that upset me. That night back in the hotel room Chris Gaither texted me very late into the night talking about my relationship with boys and how he could not sleep during tournaments. At the time, I knew this was wrong but did not know how to process it. The dates of this tournament were between December 26-28th of 2013.

Closer to graduation Chris Gaither became increasingly more provocative. He asked questions about my sexual history. He talked to me about his time at Georgetown college and bragged about sleeping with many girls. He even told me he had gotten a vasectomy. He quoted a song by saying “pussy is power” to me multiple times. This made me feel extremely uneasy.

On June 13, 2014, I was babysitting his children while his wife was on a mission trip to Honduras. He came home after I had put the kids to bed and talked to me in his living room for over an hour. As I was walking out, Chris Gaither kissed me. I left very confused and uncomfortable.

On June 14, 2014, exactly two weeks after my high school graduation, Chris Gaither invited me over to talk. I was at a friends graduation party and left to talk to him under the impression he was going to explain what happened the night before. Chris Gaither’s kids were with family that night as he was supposed to pick up his wife from the airport the following day. Chris Gaither told me to park down the street and come in. Chris Gaither invited me into his bedroom and he initiated physical contact that led to sex.

In the following days, Chris Gaither told me that it would be different if he was my age.

For years after this, Chris Gaither would reach out to me over Snapchat and text. Specifically reaching out anytime the basketball team was at camp or an overnight trip. In college, Chris Gaither reached out to me through Snapchat to ask me if my boyfriend (now husband) knew we had sex.

In recent years I’ve told a few of my close friends who were Collins graduates themselves because I can recognize this was not a mistake I made but I was taken advantage of by an adult I trusted.

I am 30 years old now- around the same age he was when I was in high school. I have three children around the same age he did when I was in high school. As an adult, I am keenly aware that this is very wrong and wish I would have reported it so he was not able to continue this pattern of abuse. I am hopeful my statement will help put an end to this cycle of abuse and there will be no more victims of Chris Gaither.

Let me make this very clear - Chris Gaither used his position of power as a teacher and coach to groom me for two years in high school. Allowing him to go back into the classroom would be a huge disservice to me, the girls who have similar stories involving him and future female students. I understand now that this man is a predator and he should be held responsible for his actions.

Hayley (Murphy) Weddle

The following was hand delivered to Shelby County Public Schools by Amanda Lamping on December 4, 2025. 

https://lettertocollinshigh.com/witness-statement

December 4, 2025

Members of the Shelby County School Board, 
 
 My name is Amanda (Zepeda) Lamping and I am a graduate of the Martha Layne Collins class of 2014. I am writing to share my personal perspective and first-hand experiences regarding concerns about Christopher (Chris) Gaither and his relationship with my best friend, Hayley (Murphy) Weddle, which began during her junior year of high school. I believe it is important for the board to hear directly from individuals who observed the situation at the time and who were close to Hayley throughout those years.
 
 Hayley and I have known each other since 5th grade, which was when I moved to Shelby County. We became especially close during our senior year when we were paired together to teach health classes at West Middle and have remained best friends ever since. Because of this, I had direct awareness of the communication and dynamic between Hayley and Mr. Gaither while we were still in high school and as she transitioned into college.
 
 During our Senior year of high school, I personally saw messages between them—texts and Snapchats—that, from my perspective, were consistently flirty and inappropriate for a teacher-student relationship. At the time, we were both too young to fully understand the seriousness of what we were seeing, but looking back as adults, it is clear to me that the relationship crossed boundaries that should never exist between an educator and a student.
 
 After graduation, Hayley confided in me and disclosed that the relationship had become physical. I was told by Hayley that she had sex with Mr. Gaither two weeks after our graduation while his wife was out of town on a mission trip. I also witnessed continued communication from Mr. Gaither into her college years, including messages in which he asked her whether she had ever told anyone about what happened. Those conversations raised even more concern for me about the nature of the relationship and the power dynamics involved.
 
 Over the years, I have continuously heard rumors about similar behavior involving him and other young women. While I cannot verify those accounts myself, the consistency of the stories contributed to my growing concern. These rumors were always along the lines of Mr. Gaither following female students on social media and messaging them as he did Hayley. 
 
 Based on what I personally saw and what Hayley directly told me, it is my belief that Mr. Gaither engaged in deeply inappropriate behavior with her while he was in a position of authority and responsibility as her educator. In my view, the communication and attention he directed toward her throughout high school laid the groundwork for a relationship that should never have occurred, regardless of whether physical contact happened until after graduation. Mr. Gaither groomed Hayley for two years and took advantage of her trust in him as an educator and coach. 
 
 My purpose in submitting this statement is to express my concern for the safety and wellbeing of current and future students. In my opinion, Mr. Gaither should not be in a position within the school system where he has access to or authority over minors. I am sharing this information because I believe it is important for the board to be fully aware of the experiences and perspectives of those who were closest to the situation at the time.
 
 Thank you for taking the time to read my statement and consider my perspective. If you have any additional questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. 
 
 Sincerely, 
Amanda Lamping

Really sad if true. Gaither was always great to me hosting the summer Titans/Rockets shootouts....Hope he gets whatever he deserves. 

Gaither’s kids have transferred to Grayson County to play basketball.  It also looks like the KHSAA made an emergency ruling on their eligibility.  For all the criticism the KHSAA gets they did the right thing in this situation and I hope both have a great year.  Grayson County is ranked in the Top 25.  

 

4 hours ago, brooksville said:

Gaither’s kids have transferred to Grayson County to play basketball. It also looks like the KHSAA made an emergency ruling on their eligibility. For all the criticism the KHSAA gets they did the right thing in this situation and I hope both have a great year. Grayson County is ranked in the Top 25. 

Chris Gaither played at Grayson County, so without knowing where his wife is from, I'm guessing this is a return home to family for the kids.

Edited December 17, 2025Dec 17 by gchs_uk9

 

49 minutes ago, Tigerpride94 said:

 

Per the article, Shelby County Public Schools communications director Josh Rhodes has announced that Chris Gaither will not return as basketball coach at Collins, and that he is still on administrative leave as a teacher.

Chris George, who stepped in to handle the basketball team during Gaither's initial suspension, has been named interim head coach for the remainder of the season.

So a recap...

- Chris Gaither has been head basketball coach at Collins since the school's second season of basketball in 2011-2012.

- April 2025, Gaither claims to have been in "serious talks" with Christian Academy of Louisville athletic director Brad Morgan to replace Aaron Hill as coach at CAL. Tim Riley was named head coach at CAL on May 1, 2025.

- June 2025 Gaither filed a defamation lawsuit in Shelby County's Circuit Court naming Amy & Andrew Ballard (parents of a former Collins player) and Kelly & Michael Higdon (parents of a current CAL player) as defendants. Oral arguments in the case were scheduled for December 5, 2025.

- Documents produced in filings for the lawsuit include (A) an email dated January 17, 2025 sent by Amy Ballard to Shelby County administrators stating that team morale “is in the toilet” because of Gaither’s “mishandling of our children and the program” as well as (B) another email dated April 13, 2025 sent by Kelly Higdon to CAL athletic director Brad Morgan speaking negatively about Gaither's skills as a teacher and as a coach, alleging Gaither's misappropriation and theft of funds established for the Collins basketball team, alleging bullying and abusive behavior by Gaither towards his players and students, as well as alleged grooming of young girls and sexually inappropriate behavior on the part of Gaither toward minors in the community.

- November 17, 2025 Chris Gaither was placed on suspension with pay by Shelby County Public Schools pending further investigation.

- November 25, 2025 Chris Gaither was reinstated as a teacher and head basketball coach at Collins High School in Shelby County.

- December 4, 2025 a letter was hand-delivered to Shelby County Public Schools by Hayley (Murphy) Weddle, a former Collins student, stating that Gaither began contacting her via Snapchat and engaging in inappropriate conversation with her and "grooming" behavior, as witnessed by her fellow classmate Amanda (Zepeda) Lamping. This eventually led to Gaither asking Weddle her to babysit for his children in June 2014, shortly after her graduation from Collins, while Gaither's wife was out of town. Gaither ended up kissing Weddle after relieving her from her babysitting for the night, and after inviting her over the following day on the premise of explaining the kiss from the previous night, the two ended up engaged in sex. Gaither continued contacting her via Snapchat and text messages for years following their sexual encounter.

- December 4, 2025 a second letter was delivered to Shelby County Public Schools by Amanda (Zepeda) Lamping corroborating the allegations contained in the letter sent by Hayley (Murphy) Weddle to Shelby County Public Schools, delivered the same day.

- December 5, 2025 a second investigation of Chris Gaither is opened by Shelby County Public Schools, eventually leading to Gaither's placement on administrative leave.

- December 19, 2025 Shelby County Public Schools announces that Chris Gaither will not return as basketball coach at Collins, and that he is still on administrative leave as a teacher.

On 11/21/2025 at 9:19 AM, theguru said:

Here is a little from the article by the CJ, there is a lot more at the below link:

The lawsuit filed by Gaither in June names Amy and Andrew Ballard — parents of a former Collins player — and Kelly and Michael Higdon — parents of a current Christian Academy player — as defendants.

The lawsuit says Gaither “was in serious discussions” with Christian Academy athletics director Brad Morgan during April 2025 about becoming the school’s next boys basketball coach. Ultimately, Tim Riley was hired as the Centurions’ coach.

Court documents attached to the lawsuit include a letter from Amy Ballard to Collins and Shelby County administrators dated Jan. 17, 2025. It stated team morale “is in the toilet” because of Gaither’s “mishandling of our children and the program.”

“Chris Gaither has lost the respect of his team and the parents,” Amy Ballard wrote.

An email forwarded from Kelly Higdon to Morgan, the CAL athletics director, dated April 13, 2025 — according to the lawsuit — included “false and defamatory statements” regarding Gaither’s “coaching skills; his teaching and classroom skills; his alleged misappropriation and/or stealing of monies intended for the benefit of the basketball team; his alleged ‘bullying’ and ‘abusing’ of players and students under his supervision, care and tutelage; and his alleged ‘fishing/grooming’ of ‘young girls’ and/or sexually inappropriate behavior toward minors in the community.”

The letter was not signed by Higdon but instead was signed by “Families of Martha Layne Collins High School."

Collins basketball coach Chris Gaither suspended amid defamation lawsuit against parents

I know nothing about this situation, but that email is horrible. The accusations in that email can ruin a man for life.  The fact that is was signed Families of Martha Layne Collin’s High School” shows that there are cowards behind such accusations.  If you are going to accuse someone of such things, stand up, put your name to it, and you better have proof.  If there is no basis for the accusations, I hope he takes Mrs Higdon for all she has.