Monday, July 9, 2001
Lee hopes to switch Cal Lee hopes the waters of the tidal wave he triggered last weekend will start to recede today.
focus to final season
As speculation on his future
St. Louis may play on Kauai
swirls around him, the St. Louis
coach's goal is 'to end on a good year'By Jason Kaneshiro
jkaneshiro@starbulletin.comLee, the most successful coach in Hawaii prep football history, stunned the local sports community Saturday by announcing that his 21st season as head coach at St. Louis High School will be his last.
And two days after the impact, Lee will finally address his players today with the intention of helping them put the tumultuous weekend behind them.
"We will talk about it (today) and it will be all over," Lee said. "We will not be talking about where I'm going because that's the last thing we're going to worry about. We have to concentrate and really focus on this year. The seniors on the team, they're going to be leaving, and I think everybody wants to end on a good year.
"It's done and in a couple days everybody will forget about it and we'll be back to normal."
The scene Saturday morning on the St. Louis campus was anything but routine for a summer pass league game.
The report of Lee's retirement created a media frenzy, resulting in the most intensely covered scrimmage in the history of the touch-tackle league. It also created instant speculation that he would move on to a coaching position at the University of Hawaii.
"You never know what to expect," Lee said of the media reaction. "You don't really want all of that. All the success and all the victories is a combination of all the coaches and players who have done the job, and to put it all on my head is a little too much for me."
Lee declined to comment on the possibility of joining June Jones' staff at UH, saying he would save such discussions until after the Crusaders' final game. He would neither confirm nor deny a report that he had already been offered a job on the Warriors' staff beginning next season.
"The furthest thing on my mind is next year," he said. "The only thing I'm thinking about is tomorrow."
Lee said the search for his successor will also have to wait until winter. But by declaring his intention to step down two months before the season's opening whistle, Lee has given potential candidates -- including members of his current staff -- the opportunity to consider the prospect of replacing a local icon.
"They know it's open and when the season's over they'll have had enough time to think about it," Lee said. "It will not be an open discussion, we will not talk about next year. But they know it's open. If anybody is even considering it, they'll have that time to think about it."
As for the players, Lee is confident they will be able to focus on winning a 16th consecutive Interscholastic League of Honolulu championship this season despite the distractions that are sure to swirl around the campus.
"If this is the last game of the season maybe you would think about it," Lee said. "But in July, they're not thinking about it. They're thinking about getting in shape and knowing their plays and working on fundamentals. It's a thought, but that light is very dim.
"There's not going to be any changes or anything that's going to be different," he added. "It's just like we've done in the last 20-plus years, making sure we can execute and play the game the way it should be played.
"I'm sure some kids may be disappointed (about the announcement). Heck, there might be a few that's happy. Some might be real happy Coach is leaving."
Hawaii School Web Sites
The final season of Cal Lee's tenure as St. Louis' head football coach may include a trip to Kauai. St. Louis looks to
By Jason Kaneshiro
fill off week by playing
Waimea on Kauai
jkaneshiro@starbulletin.comYesterday, Lee said a game between the Crusaders and Kauai Interscholastic Federation power Waimea on Aug. 31 at Hanapepe Stadium is close to being finalized.
The game would fill St. Louis' off week prior to the start of the Interscholastic League of Honolulu schedule and serve as Waimea's third preseason game.
"There's a team that plays with a lot of heart," Lee said of the Menehunes. "They're no bigger than anyone else, in fact their numbers aren't great. But they're looking at playing a team to get better, and you have to give them a lot of credit"
And if the game becomes reality, Waimea coach Jon Kobayashi anticipates a strong turnout by the Kauai community.
"I think a lot of people would want to come out and see St. Louis play," Kobayashi said. "Anytime you play a nationally ranked team it's going to cause a little stir in the community."
The ILH's new two-tiered format calls for each team to play seven regular games, down from 10 in previous years. Teams are free to schedule games during their off weeks to fill out their schedules.
St. Louis and Waimea last met in the semifinals of the inaugural state football tournament in 1999. The Crusaders won 56-0.
St. Louis has two preseason games already set. The Crusaders travel to Nanakuli on Aug. 17 and will face San Clemente (Calif.) High School at Aloha Stadium on Aug. 25.
Hawaii School Web Sites