Former North Carolina Aquatic Club (NCAC) coach Virginia Pate has been hired as the new Chapel Hill High School swim coach, replacing Steven Riegler.
Pate coaches alongside current assistants Britton Banning-Arndt, Rebecca Mason and Greg Zoltners.
Pate first began coaching swim teams in high school about 20 years ago, instructing kids on a summer league team.
Since then, she coached various other summer, winter and year-round teams. Most recently, she coached for six years at NCAC.
NCAC, Pate’s previous job organization, is known for its intense workouts and production of elite swimmers. “One misconception about swimming is that because most races at the high school level are only about a minute long, it is not an endurance sport,” Pate said. “In order to swim fast at the end of a meet, you’ve got to put in the work in practice.”
The swimmers have also embraced Pate’s presence. “Coach Virginia brings a new type of coaching to the swim team,” junior Ashley Cahill said. “Her practices are more difficult from a technical standpoint, but that just makes us better!”
Pate attended Mount Tabor High School, earning three state titles for the NCHSAA. Upon graduation, Pate held nine of the records for her team, six of which still stand today.
