By Marty Gordon
NRVsports@ourvalley.org
The Christiansburg Aquatics Center has announced the appointment of Nate Destree as its new swim competition director.
Nate Destree
He is no stranger to the facility or the pool as he served as an assistant coach from 2015-16 at Virginia Tech, and worked part-time at the aquatic center.
Destree had moved to Michigan State this past year also as an assistant coach when he discovered the CAC position was available.
“I decided it was a great opportunity to stay in the sport of swimming, while moving much closer to current family and set up a stable foundation for a future family,” he said. “Having prior knowledge of what the position entailed day-to-day, who I would be working for (Terry Caldwell and Chrystal Jones) and what people I would be working with in the community (VT coaching staff, H2okies Head Coach Scott Baldwin, CHS head swim coach Amy Brehl, and other coaches in the region), it was a no brainer.”
Destree started swimming at a very early age in a summer league growing up in Virginia Beach. He then swam on both his high school team and a USA Swimming Club team. He earned a swimming scholarship to St. Bonaventure University, competing for four years, winning the Atlantic 10 Conference team championship as a senior.
He then served as a graduate assistant at West Virginia University before coming to Blacksburg with the Hokies.
When Destree looks at his new digs, he calls CAC a world class facility that matches the vision of the progressive town.
“It has the ability to cater towards training world class and Olympic caliber swimmers, be the home of Virginia Tech Swimming and Diving, host almost all of the high school swimming meets in the region (CHS, RHS, Giles, Pulaski and some BHS meets), support the growing H2okie Aquatics (local USA Swimming Club Team) and at the same time of doing all that, we service all of our citizens daily through various aquatic programs offered for all ages, the indoor water park open seven days a week and general lap swimming available daily,” he said.
Destree feels it’s incredible to see the best of both worlds in a town the size of Christiansburg and the support the community gives back to the facility.
“This was an excellent investment by the town that will serve the citizens and community for a long time,” he concluded.
The Christiansburg Aquatics Center is scheduled to host 19 swim meets this year.