Accolades pour in for departing Lee
| • | St. Louis' coach Cal Lee offered UH football job |
| • | Lee will be leaving legacy of success |
| • | Move up to next level right for Lee |
| • | Graphic of Cal Lee's St. Louis win-loss record |
By Stacy Kaneshiro
Advertiser Staff Writer
After 17 Interscholastic League of Honolulu football crowns, 14 O'ahu Prep Bowl titles and a state championship, what more does Cal Lee have to prove at the high school level?
That was one of the reactions to Lee's announcement that this would be his final season as coach of the perennial powerhouse St. Louis Crusaders.
"He's done such a great job," said former St. Louis player and Chicago Bears center Olin Kreutz. "With all those state titles, what else can he do? I think he just wants to move on."
Kreutz is one of three former Crusaders coached by Lee who plays in the NFL. The other two are Pittsburgh Steelers running back Chris Fuamatu-Ma'afala and Detroit Lions center Dominic Raiola.
No matter what St. Louis' record is this season, Lee will leave as the winningest coach in Hawai'i high school football history. The second-most active tenured coach in the state enters his 21st season at 231-31-4. No other coach has reached 200 wins. His Crusaders have won the past 15 ILH titles.
Pac-Five coach Don Botelho, the most tenured coach entering his 37th season, said Lee has been instrumental in improving high school football.
"You look at the past, the three (consecutive) years that Ticky Vasconcellos (at Roosevelt from 1955-1957) and Cal Chai (at Kamehameha from 1974-1976) won, that was difficult." Botelho said. "How about 15 (in a row)? There's no comparison anyone can make for high school football in the state of Hawai'i."
Damien coach Chris Bisho said the key to Lee's success was basic.
"He works hard, he's diligent, he has a plan and he carries it out," Bisho said. "He's a visionary and he's willing to put in the time."
Junior quarterback Bobby George, who returns for his second season, said there were rumors of Lee's departure, but the announcement still was somewhat of a surprise.
"I don't think anyone wants to see him go, but ... we have to come together as a team and work harder," said George.
George said one of the reasons he chose to attend St. Louis was Lee.
"Coach Cal helped me out a lot since sixth grade (at St. Louis)," George said. "He told me what to do and what not to do. Not only for me, but for everybody. Whoever needs help, he'll do it."
Botelho called Lee's departure "a big loss to high school football."
"But I think he wants to move on to bigger and better things," Botelho said. "He's done just about everything, accomplished just about everything. He has nothing to prove.
"In a way, it's sad to see him leave. But then again, it might level the playing field without him there. He's such a great coach. People say he has the talent, but you have to have the combination of talent and good coaching."
You can reach Stacy Kaneshiro at skaneshiro@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8042.
