Former Volleyball & Softball: Quoyeser to return to ESA as head volleyball coach

Eric Narcisse, The Advertiser, Feb. 3, 2015

CADE – Ursula Quoyeser always knew one day she would return to the Acadiana area, but she never knew when.

Now she does.

Quoyeser is returning to Epsicopal School of Acadiana, where she will serve as the school’s physical education teacher and new head volleyball coach.

“I’m excited about the return to ESA,” Quoyeser said. “I’ve been gone for 10 years, so I’m really looking forward to being back. I’ve always loved ESA and I always felt that one day I would return.”

ESA athletic director Mike Bourgeois couldn’t be any happier to have Quoyeser, who will replace Julie Dawson, return to the school where she had so much success.

“This was an opportunity for us to get somebody back that can be a mentor,” Bourgeois said. “Ursula is someone who can be a mentor for our whole school, specifically P.E. and athletics. I’m ecstatic to have her back, and I couldn’t be happier that the timing worked out right and she was ready to come home.”

But the conversation that led to Quoyeser’s return almost didn’t take place, as Bourgeois initially called her for contact info for another candidate he wanted to reach out to.

“I was calling her to get the name of an alum, and she and I got to talking,” Bourgeois said. “I told her, ‘How about you just come back and coach,’ and we laughed. We weren’t sure if it was going to work out, but when we talked over the Christmas holidays and she talked about her vision with our Headmaster Dr. (Paul) Baker that really sealed the deal.”

“Two years ago, we had talked about me coming back to ESA to teach,” Quoyeser said. “But this time it all just kind of fell together. It was just amazing how everything just came together and fell right into place. We didn’t know if it was going to work out, but it did and I’m excited about it.”

Quoyeser, who has spent the past decade at St. John’s School in Houston serving as Head of Lower School Physical Education, as well as coaching at the middle school and varsity levels in the sports of volleyball, soccer and softball, spent 11 years at ESA (1994-05) and led the Lady Falcons to nine state volleyball championships while also earning Coach of the Year honors eight times.

“We were looking for someone who was going to come in and mold our entire program,” Bourgeois said. “We wanted someone that was going to come in and develop not only our top players, but all of our players. Needless to say that I got a better deal than I expected by having Ursula come back to ESA.”

But the last thing Quoyeser wants is for things to be about her and the the Lady Falcons’ program.

“I’m not worried about the pressure of winning championships or anything like that because that isn’t the focus of the program,” Quoyeser said. “I know that things have changed a lot in the game of volleyball, so I have a lot to learn. I want to learn and I’ve already signed up for two coaching clinics. I’m excited and I believe it is going to be a natural transition.”

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