Cal Lee to propose ILH football expansion
By Dennis Anderson and Stacy Kaneshiro
Advertiser Staff Writers
Coach Cal Lee of perennial football power St. Louis School, stung by a 65-player roster limit imposed by principals, said yesterday he will propose fielding two varsity teams in the Interscholastic League of Honolulu next season.
"I just want kids to have an opportunity to play," Lee said.
Since the ILH, O'ahu's private-school league, discontinued junior varsity football two years ago, St. Louis and Kamehameha have fielded varsity squads of about 100 players.
"Last year, all 100 or so played in every game," Lee said. "It cut down a lot on playing time for the first-team guys, but they deserve a chance to play. That's what it's all about."
ILH principals have been seeking ways to curb St. Louis' football power for several years. A task force on competition was formed after the 1999 season, when the Crusaders marched for more than 80 points four times en route to their 14th straight league championship.
The principals tightened eligibility rules and introduced a "running clock" last season, ordering the game clock stopped only for timeouts in the second half if one team led by 35 points. St. Louis still scored more than 40 points seven times in 10 ILH games, including routs of 84-0, 65-0, and 55-7.
Last spring principals adopted the limit of 65 players suiting up for any ILH varsity game, to be effective for the 2001 season. The rule does not limit the number of players who can practice.
St. Louis and Kamehameha appealed the rule to principals last month but were turned down. "After a great deal of discussion and many alternate proposals," ILH executive secretary Clay Benham said, "the principals voted to impose the limit for a one-year trial to see if we could improve the (competitive) situation."
Lee was bristling yesterday. "Where do those kids go? It's like slapping them in the face, saying you're part of something but you're not part of something. You can say you're on the team but you are not going to go to games and participate totally. I have a hard time with that."
"We are going to look into entering two teams, to see if that's a possibility. It's a better alternative than not playing," Lee said.
Seeks coaches' input
He told The Advertiser that his rough proposal calls for two divisions, as the league already has in basketball, paddling, judo and water polo. One would include St. Louis, Kamehameha, 'Iolani and Punahou. The other would have "B" teams from St. Louis and Kamehameha, plus Damien and Pac-Five, who have been doormats for several years.
Lee envisions a schedule of two games each against teams in their own division and one game against teams in the other division, except that the "A" and "B" teams of one school would never play each other.
Lee said he would make his proposal to ILH football coaches at their next meeting, which is not yet scheduled. "Maybe next week," he said.
"It's still up in the air," Lee said. "It's something we have to throw out there and get some input."
Earlier, Benham said league bylaws do not allow two varsity teams in football. He was not available last night for comment on Lee's proposal.
Kamehameha has accepted the principal's ruling. "We will have one varsity and two intermediate teams," co-athletic director Blane Gaison said. "I feel bad for the kids who won't be able to suit up and represent their school."
The Warriors have fielded two intermediate (seventh-, eighth- and ninth-grade) teams the last two years. "A lot more freshmen got chances to play and some have really developed," Kamehameha coach Kanani Souza said. "The saddest thing is that now we have no place to put them."
"We had 49 sophomores last year. About nine or 10 usually can compete on the varsity, that leaves about 39," Souza added.
"How are we going to service those sophomores? I'm focusing on finding a way to give those sophomores a meaningful experience and not just be a number standing behind a line doing nothing. I feel an obligation to provide a format that can be fun; in which they can grow and see themselves growing."
Souza said he was considering intrasquad scrimmages with a "game atmosphere," possibly at night when parents could watch.
"If the JV league were back, we would not be as impacted," Souza said. "Getting the JV league back is where the critical problem is."
ILH rules require three schools to field teams before it sanctions a league. Pac-Five and 'Iolani dropped junior varsity years ago because of reduced turnouts for football and Punahou suspended its program two years ago for the same reason.
Put onus back on school
Kale Ane, assistant athletic director and head football coach at Punahou, said the 65-player limit "does not really affect us" (he had 67 last year). "Personally, I don't like it," Ane said. "I like the attempt to reach parity in the league, that's important, but it's up to each school to develop their own team's ability.
"I hate to penalize kids; that's what this does. We don't do it in other sports." Punahou has 178 members on its boys varsity and junior varsity track teams this spring and 168 on the girls varsity and JVs.
"It's a good idea to find a way to get everybody to be more competitive," Ane said. "That's admirable and my belief is we need to do it as a school — lift weights, run, do plyometrics, study video, attend clinics, whatever fits our personnel. Put the onus back on us as coaches and schools."
One coach who has been the victim of some of St. Louis' biggest scores said, "In a blowout, I would rather play their 99th man than their 65th."
