Carter left legacy on and off hardwood

Tag : girls' barrette

Virginia’s winningest girls high school basketball and girlsoutdoor track coach won’t get the chance to see any games ormatches played in Eastern View High School — thecounty’s second public high school — this fall.
Ina Kate Carter, former Culpeper County High School coach, diedWednesday morning after a long illness. She was 68.
Carter led the CCHS girls basketball team to 526 all-timevictories. She also led the girls outdoor track team to 115 wins.
She still holds the record for the most wins in both categories tothis day, according to the Virginia High School CoachesAssociation.
Carter was voted Virginia Coach of the Year in 1979.
In 2000, Carter was inducted into the Virginia High School Hall ofFame.
“Kate Carter was a very hard worker,” said CCHSAthletic Director Billy Thornhill, who remembered Carter when hewas a child. “She was a heck of a coach.”
“We’re really sad about her passing,” he said.“She was an icon here at this school.”
And school officials made sure no one forgot it.
In 2003, the Culpeper Middle School gym was dedicated and named theIna Kate Carter gymnasium to celebrate the coach’s longtimededication.
CCHS science teacher Libby Ouellette said Carter was an inspirationto all.
“Kate got the most out of her athletes,” saidOuellette, who played for Carter. “She had an excellent eyefor talent.”
Ouellette said Carter coached just about everything.
In addition to basketball and track, she also coached tennis andsoftball, too.
“She dedicated her life to the kids,” Ouellette said.“She never planned on retirement or getting sick. She went toevery game and kept up with sports for everybody.”
Before coaching, Carter spent many years in the classroom teachingphysical education. She was also the department head for years.
Her sister, Sue Triplett, 78, said Carter was always competitive— especially as a child.
“She was quiet, but she meant business,” said Triplett,who resides in Tennessee.
CCPS Superintendent David Cox and Carter grew up in the same smalltown of Kingsport, Tenn.
“She was very caring, but she expected a lot of herstudents,” he said. “She was very clear about herexpectations and she had the respect and admiration of the girlsthat she coached.”
Cox and Carter, both Tennessee natives, also attended the same almamater: East Tennessee State University.
“I’m very appreciative of the contributions that shemade to all of the lives that she touched during her career in theclassroom and on the court,” Cox said.
Steve Southard, senior vice president of Virginia Community Bank,said she kept score for the boys basketball team when he was inhigh school.
“We had a lot of respect for Kate and for her dedication toCulpeper County schools,” he said.
Southard and his daughter, Kristin Barrette, helped spearhead theidea to name the CMS gym after the legendary coach.
“It was a real satisfying moment for us when we were able toname the middle school gym after her,” he said.“It’s just amazing that she had so much positiveinfluence.”
“I’m really sad to hear about her death,”Southard added. “It’s a sad day in Culpepersports.”
Barrette played three years of varsity basketball for Carter.
“She really encouraged me to play,” she said.“She served as a mentor for me and she was an excellent womanand a wonderful role model.”