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The Honolulu Advertiser

Posted on: Wednesday, May 1, 2002

Four A.D.'s to share ILH workload

Advertiser Staff

Clay Benham's responsibilities as executive secretary of the Interscholastic League of Honolulu were so numerous that they will be shared by four high school athletic directors for the rest of the school year.

Benham, 81, died Monday in The Queen's Medical Center.

Jim Bukes of University, John Hom of Pac-Five, Don Botelho of Mid-Pacific and Blane Gaison of Kamehameha will share Benham's duties, said Gaison, who is president of the Board of Athletic Directors of the ILH. "Clay did a lot of things, and we all also have our own responsibilities as ADs. It would have been too much for one person," Gaison explained.

The ILH has 24 member high schools and sponsors 21 sports, most of them with separate leagues for boys and girls.

Benham had been the ILH's executive secretary for more than 32 years. Gaison said the ILH principals would decide in June how to replace Benham permanently.

Keith Amemiya, executive director of the Hawai'i High School Athletic Association, said in a statement yesterday:

"Anybody who knew Clay would confirm his fervent passion and love for the ILH and its member schools. However, when all was said and done, Clay always made decisions that he thought was in the best interest of all of our student-athletes, regardless of their league affiliation, and he would be the first to congratulate another league for their state tournament success."

Services will be held Friday at Central Union Church, with visitation starting at 3 p.m. and services at 4. The family requests no flowers, and that aloha attire be worn. Donations may be made to the Clayton Benham Scholarship Fund (checks payable to the Interscholastic League of Honolulu).