The College of Staten Island athletics program has announced Mr. Jose Luis Rebay as its new men’s soccer coach. Rebay will take over the program on the heels of a 4-11-2 season and an appearance in the CUNYAC Quarterfinal round of postseason competition. He takes over for Armen Simoniants who spent three years with the Dolphins’ program, one that is 12 years removed from a CUNYAC Championship.
“I am very excited to be here and to have been given this opportunity,” Rebay said. “To be offered a chance to build the program and get it to the national level is something I am really looking forward to.”
A native of Buenos Aires, Argentina, Rebay brings a United States Soccer Federation National-A Coaching License to CSI, adding a wealth of playing and coaching experience spanning as far back as 1979. His most recent coaching stop was at nearby New York City College of Technology (CUNY) as head coach from 2007-2009.
“Coach Rebay has the perfect coaching and playing background to be a successful soccer coach at the College of Staten Island,” said Vernon Mummert, Athletic Director. “His network of recruiting contacts and his coaching experience in the competitive CUNY Athletic Conference will allow CSI to hit the ground running in his first year. With a solid nucleus of returning players and a solid freshmen recruiting class, CSI expects to contend for a CUNY soccer championship in 2011.”
A junior division member of the Independiente De Avellaneda in Argentina from 1979-86, Rebay was a member of the Argentinian Under-17 national team during the 1982-83 season, and later in his career travelled to play national soccer in Bolivia (Universitario De Sucre) before playing for the San Diego Nomads in the United States’ Western Soccer League, playing midfield for the championship squad in 1989. In 1990, Rebay transitioned to New York, playing for various semi-professional teams until 1996.
Having coached a litany of youth and club teams over the past decade, Rebay is currently coaching the Boys’ Olympic Development Program for New York State South, and is the head coach for the Massapequa Rough Riders U-17 program, a 2009 State and North Premier Champion.
CSI was a CUNYAC Championship finalist in 2007, but have amassed just an 11-41-3 (.200) record since. The Dolphins’ have otherwise had storied success in men’s soccer. The program won a pair of CUNYAC titles (1996, 1998) and have made five ECAC Metro NY/NJ Postseason Tournament appearances. Rebay hopes to bring the championship form back to Staten Island.
“First and foremost our goal is to bring in good people to our program,” commented Rebay. “We will move forward from there to bring in quality kids who have a skill set for soccer that will help our program.”
Rebay’s knowledge and background in the sport will make for what he hopes will ultimately be an exciting product on the pitch.
“Coming from South America, I like to play a very skillful game with European flavor mixed in. Keeping the ball on the ground, and letting our quality of player use their individual talents on the field will dictate how we approach the game. We want to be able to set the pace and give our players the best chances to succeed.”
Rebay will inherit a squad that graduated a lone senior from its 2010 season. Men’s soccer will hold a five-week off-season program this spring before beginning official practices in August for an early-September opening.