Dan Altro
Dan Altro
914-645-8427
dan@downstatevolleyball.com
Head coach of 17 Boys & Lead of 14 AYA
Co-Director and Head Coach Daniel Altro, “Dan” as he is most commonly known as in the volleyball world, has been running and/or coaching Downstate Juniors since 1993.
Dan started his coaching career in the summer of 1984 coaching track and field for the Westchester PAL. Volleyball entered Dan’s life at Bill Schroh’s 4th of July backyard family BBQ and also at “Running” camp during the summer of 1983 where he played pickup volleyball with his Ossining High School Cross Country teammates and other campers. In December 1985 Dan joined the Navy. While stationed at NAS in Pensacola, FL in 1986, he fell into a group of volleyballers and started playing real volleyball in both indoors and beach. While in the Navy Dan also participated on various Navy teams competing and coaching in the United States and throughout Europe. During the fall of 1992, Dan returned to New York and in the winter of 1993 met Arthur Prusan, then Director of Downstate Juniors, and the rest is history!
Under coach Dan’s guidance, Downstate has produced numerous NCAA Division I and II scholarship athletes. Several of his former players have gone on to achieve All-American status in college. In addition to these honors, several of his players have played professionally in Europe and Puerto Rico.
Dan was the Head Coach at the NCAA Division II level at Dominican College. In his previous Division II coaching experience he coached at Pace University, where he rebuilt their program and returned Pace to a force in the North East Region, capping his time there with a return to NCAA playoffs. Prior to Pace, he was head coach at St. Thomas Aquinas College for two seasons. Dan also acted as the Associate head coach for Western Connecticut State University where through his recruiting efforts, the Colonials achieved one ECAC and three NCAA postseason playoff runs. Coach Dan has also served as the head coach at New York City Technical College, Carmel High School, Haldane High School (3rd place NY State Championships), Byram Hills High School, and as the Assistant coach at Woodham High School, FL. Dan has also coached Track and Field and Cross Country at the High School level.
Dan has remained active with USA Volleyball and the New York State Empire Games where he has been a coach and/or a player since 1994 and continues to play volleyball every chance he gets. Dan currently resides in Ossining, NY where he returned after proudly serving his country in the United States Navy.
