The College of Staten Island Office of Intercollegiate Athletics has announced the hire of Atef Dosse as its new Head Coach for Women’s Volleyball. Dosse will take over the program from Interim Head Coach Melissa Quiles, who guided the Dolphins to a 4-17 campaign a year ago. Making his first entry into the collegiate coaching ranks, Dosse bring a vast wealth of experience as a former professional volleyball player and youth and high school coach.
“I am very excited to get back into coaching at the College of Staten Island,” said Dosse, who currently resides on Staten Island. “Everyone is motivated to move our program to a high level and I’m anxious to be a part of that.”
A former professional volleyball player in his hometown of Alexandria, Egypt, Dosse was a member of the Smoha Sports Club from 1980-96. He still participates in high-level volleyball sports clubs locally as well, although his primary focus has shifted to coaching. Dosse spent two years as a youth coach and a physical education instructor in Egypt before moving to the United States in 1998.
“We are happy to bring a fine candidate like Atef into our coaching ranks,” said Vernon Mummert, Athletic Director. “He is an outstanding teacher and coach who will refine our team’s technical skills to raise the skill level of our team. We are confident that he will recruit the best volleyball student athletes in the region to be a part of our program.”
Once in the U.S., Dosse became a member of Franklin D. Roosevelt High School in Brooklyn, New York, substitute teaching in both mathematics and physical education. In 1999, when the school’s fledging volleyball program needed a coach, Dosse answered the call, guiding the team for the next four years, turning around a program that went from only a single PSAL win when he took over, to a team that sported only a single blemish two years later.
“Volleyball is all about teamwork. It’s the number one avenue to being successful in the sport, and a lot of what I did (at FDR) was develop our teams to trust in one another, build skill, and enjoy the sport,” Dosse said.
While doubling as a volleyball coach at FDR, Dosse also taught physical education at Maxwell High School, Harry Van Arsdale Vocational High School, Abraham Lincoln High School, and Acorn Community High School. He also coached the FDR boys soccer program for two years in 2000-01. He currently is a licensed real estate broker with Vitale Sunshine Realty and manages the vast fitness center at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in Manhattan.
At CSI, Dosse will be asked to return to his volleyball roots, trying to resurrect a program that has sported only a single winning season in over a decade.
“Our goal at CSI is to build a program from scratch that focuses more on athleticism and skill-building,” he said. “Our foundation for success will be to have a team that is committed to improvement with hard work, and bringing in athletes who are athletic and want to grow and improve their skill sets. We will work hard and have fun.”
Dosse prides himself on his ability to motivate at practice, where he focuses most on teaching the game through fluid movement, team concepts, and fundamental development.
Although the Dolphins suffered through a 4-17 campaign and a first-round exit in the CUNYAC postseason, CSI graduated only one senior from the program and stand to bring nine players back in 2011.
“We have a good returning base and many of our athletes play more than one sport which keeps them active,” said Dosse. “To have this base makes me very excited and we will continue to move the program to a very strong level.”