Valeria (Val) Patino is in her second year on the Campbell Women's Golf staff, and first as Associate Head Coach. A former five-time Big Sky all-conference performer, Patino was named assistant coach at Campbell in August 2024 after serving two seasons on the Ball State coaching staff. During her first season in Buies Creek, she helped guide the Camels to a No. 51 national ranking, and an at-large berth in the NCAA Lubbock Regional. She recently sat down with student reporter (and golf team member) Jade Potter to talk about her journey to Campbell, how she started in golf and her coaching goals.
Question: What is your first memory of being involved with the Campbell women's golf program?
Val Patino: I would say my first memory is when all (the players) were arriving on campus. Picking you up from the airport, I remember I picked up Bella (
Izabella Grimbrandt) first. It was the first time I had driven the Campbell van, and I got lost and had to make a lot of u-turns. It was a funny moment looking back on it but not so funny for me at the time. And then, the first time that we were all together in a meeting was also very exciting. I was also very nervous at the same time.
Q: What drew you to Campbell and made you want to coach here?
VP: I knew about Coach (
John Crooks) and thought to myself that there's no chance I will get the job, but I applied as it was something I really wanted to do. I think the reason I was so drawn to Campbell was the history of the team and Coach along with how much I knew I would learn here. I always said I wanted to live in North Carolina, so it was kind of perfect. It was a big change culturally and especially moving from grad assistant to full-time assistant.
Q: What makes Campbell a unique place for student-athletes?
VP: From the year and a half that I have been here, I already see how tight the community is between the students, team and athletes. Yes, it's a small place, some people see that as a bad thing, but I feel the complete opposite that when you're in a smaller place you are so close with everyone around you and it's a very safe environment.
Q: How would you describe your coaching philosophy when working with college golfers?
VP: I try to get to know each player individually. I want to treat players as people and not just the player. I try and get to know them and the best way that they respond to coaching methods. Some people like it to be calm and some people get better from a bit of motivation. I like to adapt to the player rather than the player adapting to me.
Q: What qualities do you look for when recruiting players to the program and how does this contribute to the culture you want to create?
VP: The team here is not fully mine and I haven't been here for too long, but I want to recruit girls who have good values and love the sport. Obviously, scores matter but it's not everything I am looking for. I want to create an environment where everyone supports each other and brings each other's performance up. I want people to motivate each other and support each other so we can grow as a team.
Q: What is one tournament or moment with this team that really stands out to you and why?
VP: When we won in (Sept. 2024) at Caledonia (Golfweek Fall Challenge). It was my second event with the team and my first time going solo to the tournament without Coach. I was very nervous; the girls were telling me after "oh you didn't seem nervous and (were) very relaxed" but I really was. I wanted to make sure everyone was there to have enough time. I talked to other coaches that day and asked, "how do you guys' cope with the pressure?" I feel like that's when I knew I had come to the right place to coach.
Q: What do you want people to think of when they hear about Campbell Women's Golf?
VP: I want people to know we are a team that works incredibly hard on the course and also away from the course. The team (members) are all great students and care about each other. It's something a lot of teams don't have. Especially in a sport that is mainly individual it's easy for a bad environment to happen.
Q: What motivates you as a coach?
VP: Everyone wants to go to nationals. That's a given. I think what motivates me the most is that the moment is going to come when the big win or big moment will hit us and makes us a great team.
Q: Where did you grow up, and how did you first get into golf?
VP: I grew up in Panama and lived there for 16 years. My dad is a golf pro at a course in Panama so I kind of had to play, but then I fell in love with the sport and after college decided I wasn't ready to leave and that's how I got into coaching. I was one of the few girls playing in Panama, so it was very different to back home. It was great to have support from teammates when coming to college.
Q: Was there a moment when you realized you wanted to pursue coaching?
VP: I was in college for five years and had three different head coaches through my time at Idaho. Some taught me good things and some taught me bad. I decided to not turn pro and knew coaching was for me. I want to be the best coach I can be, and I feel like because I had so many head coaches, I knew what was good and what was bad so I would have the knowledge to bring that all together.
Q: Who has been the most influential mentor in your coaching career?
VP: My first coach ever in college was Lisa Johnson. She left after my sophomore year at Idaho to go to Nebraska and was head coach there and is now retired. She really pushed me and guided me in the right direction, and she was actually one of the people who helped me getting the job here at Campbell and my grad assistant job at Ball State. If I ever have any questions she is who I would usually go to. My dad has also been very important through ups and downs. When I was getting into coaching and (looking for) jobs he kept me calm and he's also one of the hardest working people I know. He's always told me that no matter what you do, you do it the best you can.
Favorite golf courses played
Boulder Creek, Boulder City (Las Vegas)
Kapalua (Hawaii)
Golfer most admired growing up
Lorena Ochoa
Favorite part of tournament week
All of it
Best piece of advice to give to players
Don't give up, keep positive
