Growing up in Cheraw, South Carolina, Fisher DeBerry spent his time playing multiple sports: football, basketball, baseball and track. In high school, he was All-State in football and baseball. He’ll try to tell you that’s because there wasn’t much competition. Highly unlikely.  

Fisher got a small scholarship to play football and baseball at Wofford College. He also worked a few jobs to pay for school as well as enlisted in Army ROTC. After graduation, he served his commitment, earned his master’s degree and started coaching football and baseball at the high school level.  

His coaching path led him back to Wofford, where he was introduced to the Wishbone offense by head coach James Brakefield. Coach Brakefield brought Fisher with him to Appalachian State where for nine years, the Mountaineers dominated on offense.  

In 1980, Ken Hatfield asked Fisher to join his staff at the Air Force Academy and Fisher took a huge leap leaving the south. He started as the Quarterback’s Coach, moved to Offensive Coordinator and got the Head Coaching job when Coach Hatfield left for Arkansas. Over the next 21 seasons, Coach DeBarry’s Falcons would win the coveted Commander in Chief trophy 14 times, secure a few conference championships as well as bowl game victories.  

After retiring in 2006, Fisher and his wife LuAnn amped up their Fisher DeBerry Foundation, helping single parent families, as well as spending time with their two children, grandchildren and now great-grandchildren.