Spotlight on Former Athlete: Ursula Quoyeser, Softball & Volleyball 1981-84, Coaches 1984-86

Quoyeser finds fulfillment in various ways

By Bruce Brown

Written for Athletic Network

Ursula Quoyeser has never been afraid of a challenge.

Quoyeser, the first female inducted into UL’s Athletic Hall of Fame, was a four-year standout in both volleyball and softball for the Ragin’ Cajuns from 1981-84 after a multi-sport high school career at Lafayette High.

She then coached at LHS and at UL, took a successful turn as an assistant at Pasco Hernando Community College in Florida, and returned to the Bayou State to build an imposing legacy at Episcopal School of Acadiana.

At ESA, Quoyeser had a 335-108 record in volleyball that included nine state championships, added four state crowns in track and field and served as the school’s athletic director.

It was little surprise to see her inducted into the Louisiana Volleyball Coaches Hall of Fame, presented by former UL softball coach and mentor Yvette Girouard and by Brenda LeBlanc, who built the ESA volleyball program before Quoyeser took over.

But there were other roads to explore.

In 2005, Quoyeser left ESA for St. John’s School in Houston and a multi-purpose role in physical education and athletics. After some adjustments, the move has been a good fit for the former Cajun star.

She may have saved her biggest challenge for last, though.

Five years ago, Quoyeser adopted a pair of brothers from an extremely impoverished background in west Texas and is raising them as a single parent.

“Kenneth and Woody were 8 and 10 when I adopted them,” Quoyeser said. “They had a limited background. They’re awesome kids, though. They love sports. An agency paired me up with them.

“Kenneth weighed 2 pounds when he was born. He’s 13, and still struggles with the names of cities. Woody is 16, but looks like he’s in fourth grade. He’s in Harlingen at Marine Military Camp, and likes the structure there.

“I’m raising them on my own. It’s tough, but they’re good kids, very loving.”

Quoyeser was able to alter her coaching duties to middle school, meaning she would spend less time at work after school, in order to make the new challenge work.

“My parents both died when I was young (at ages 33 and 28), and I had three younger brothers,” Quoyeser said. “I was raised by an aunt and uncle. At 45, I decided I wanted to give back, to give kids an opportunity. I wanted to adopt two brothers and was able to work with an agency to make it happen.

“The little kids are as awesome as the older ones. It’s fun. It’s challenging.”

Currently, Quoyeser is in charge of lower school physical education at SJS (some 400 students). She coaches middle school boys volleyball, girls soccer and softball.

“I tell people I get paid to play,” she said. “It’s really fun. I have 12 people on staff. We offer more than 20 sports. At the end of the day, I’m a coach.

“I wasn’t really seeking to be a head coach or athletic director when I came here. I was willing to be an assistant. I had spent myself at ESA. I needed a break. I knew I wanted to retire one day. I was burnt out. I needed to stop the cycle.

“As hard as it was, because I loved ESA, I needed a change in my lifestyle.”

SJS is similar to ESA, but much larger – and more enclosed.

“It was a different physical environment from the start,” Quoyeser said. “ESA is so open, and I’m an outdoors person. It took me two or three years to find a level of comfort.”

Environments may change, but the drive to coach has always been a strong one.

“It came naturally to me,” Quoyeser said. “My high school teammates used to tell me I was trying to be a coach. I have an aunt who was a high school coach. I loved sports, and knew this was what I wanted to do.”

Quoyeser, who found time to be a standout golfer among her team sports, coached at LHS for four years. She posted a 26-12 volleyball record as UL’s coach, and was a basketball assistant to Bobby Bowman at Pasco Hernando.

She was a natural athletic fit at UL in both volleyball and softball, among the first to get the latter sport under way under Girouard.

“I was more gifted in softball,” she said. “Once I was taught to spike, volleyball was fun. I liked softball as a player, but as a coach I enjoy volleyball. There are more X’s and O’s.

“We had so much fun getting the softball program off the ground. I loved it. I would practice all day long. We had players like Blaise Talbot at catcher, Pat Pourciau, Donna Delahoussaye.

“There were girls you played together with in high school, and Yvette brought in some players from New Orleans. Eventually she expanded her recruiting base. You make lifelong friendships with teammates.”

Quoyeser is among many eagerly anticipating the reunion of UL softball players and coaches scheduled for November.

A lifetime in athletics has given Quoyeser a unique perspective on youth sports and their impact.

“Sports are so much more select now,” she said. “Kids specialize at a young age – you see it in soccer and volleyball – and you get burnt out if you do it all the time. And there’s such a small percent who will get (athletic) scholarships.

“I grew up playing three or four sports, and loved it. Our high school teams had so much fun. Here (at SJS) we rely on kids for two or three sports. They do play select, too.”

Now closer to the end of a sparkling career, Quoyeser is not quite ready to call it quits.

“I’m 51, and I have children now,” she said. “It’s actually challenging right now. As long as I feel good and keep myself healthy, I’ll keep going.”

Bruce Brown, written for the Athletic Network

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Ursula and the 1982 Volleyball Team

Ursula and the 1984 Softball Team.

To view more pictures of Ursula, please click on www.athleticnetwork.net   , photo gallery, Softball and Volleyball during her years as a player and member of the volleyball coaching staff.

Click here for Ursula’s Athletic Network Profile. It contains the story of her induction into the Louisiana Volleyball Coaches Association Hall of Fame and more.

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