About Kate Chirico

Hi there! I’m Kate Chirico (Purnell), proud owner of Central Virginia Swim School, and I’ve been passionate about swimming for as long as I can remember. Growing up in Lake Monticello, just outside Charlottesville, I started my aquatic journey as a lifeguard at the local pool. But it didn’t take long for me to dive deeper into teaching swim lessons. By my senior year of high school, I was running the entire learn-to-swim program at a local fitness center. It was an exciting responsibility at such a young age!

I kept up my love for teaching swimming all through college, refining my skills and sharing my passion with others. After graduation, I took my experience to Stafford County Parks, Recreation, and Community Facilities, where I spent nearly five years managing pool operations and overseeing a huge swim program. I even earned my American Red Cross Water Safety Instructor Trainer Certification, which let me train new instructors to continue the tradition of teaching people to swim.

In 2018, I made the move back to Charlottesville and, while juggling a full-time job and finishing grad school, I was determined not to let my love for teaching swim lessons slip away. So, I decided to get creative! I put up a simple Facebook post offering private lessons in clients’ backyards, and from there, the spark was lit.

By the end of that summer, I officially launched “Kate Teaches Swim” and expanded from private homes to community pools. By spring 2021, I was fully booked and hired my first instructor. Together, we made quite the splash, teaching over 300 lessons that summer!

The demand for swim lessons was soaring, so I formed an LLC with a big vision in mind: to grow and provide year-round swim lessons in Charlottesville and beyond. I am continuing my quest to turn that dream into a reality, and we are finally opening our own storefront swimming pool!

I’m beyond excited to continue this incredible journey, bringing a high-quality, fun, and effective learn-to-swim program to Charlottesville and the surrounding communities. Dive in with me, it’s going to be an amazing ride!