Hannah Styles
hstyles@thesmokymountaintimes.com
Mike Varano was recently named Swain County High School’s varsity baseball coach just in time for the upcoming spring season. Varano, known as Coach V by most of the athletes, is a Swain County High School social studies teacher and was also part of Swain’s football coaching staff this past season.
Varano is from Harnett County, North Carolina, south of Raleigh and attended UNC Charlotte and received his degree from Liberty University. He and his wife Brittany have been married for nine years this March and after frequently visiting Bryson City for the past several years, Varano told himself he would move here one day. Then the opportunity arose for him to teach at Swain and eventually become baseball coach.
“Baseball was my first love before I could walk,” Varano said. “I started playing at five years old and went through the normal routine that most baseball players do. From rec ball to travel ball. Middle school ball to showcase tournaments. And finally, high school to a brief college career.”
Varano was a member of the UNC Charlotte club team where he competed all over the East Coast and had two appearances in the NCBA World Series in Tampa.
He also has been coaching baseball since 2016 where he began as a volunteer at Highland Middle in Harnett County and has a background in coaching football as well.
Coach Varano is looking forward to the upcoming season of Swain baseball.
“I am more than excited and thankful for the opportunity to be coaching here at Swain. I love how much pride there is in athletics here. That’s very important to me,” Coach Varano said. “It is also important to me to carry on the tradition of success of Swain County Athletics. I will always make sure that I am doing whatever necessary for that to happen. We are looking to build on a great foundation of success, and to stay as competitive as possible in 1A NC baseball.”
He believes he has a lot to offer to the team and believes that they can go as far as they want through dedication and hard work.
“All while becoming better players and a better team along the way,” Varano said. “I am looking forward to the beginning of something great. Go Devils!”