STAR-BULLETIN / 2001
Long associated with Saint Louis School as its football coach, then as its athletic director, Cal Lee will leave to join the University of Hawaii coaching staff. He is shown here on the field with the Saint Louis team in August 2001.
Saint Louis losing
Cal Lee to WarriorsThe winningest coach in state high school
football will join UH as linebackers coach
Cal Lee will leave his post as Saint Louis School athletic director and join the University of Hawaii football staff as linebackers coach prior to the upcoming season, sources at Saint Louis and UH said yesterday.
Lee, who is scheduled to meet with Warriors head coach June Jones next week, told a Saint Louis alumni group Wednesday he is departing from the school he turned into the strongest prep football powerhouse in state history.
Lee, 56, finally makes the short trek from Waialae Avenue to University Avenue that has been speculated about for 15 years. The exact date of his move is not known. It could be as soon as July 1 if he also leaves his job as head coach of the arena2football Hawaiian Islanders.
Lee, who left today for an Islanders game at San Diego, was unavailable for comment last night, but he has often said he would like to coach at UH and has been offered jobs there on several occasions.
"He will become part of the UH coaching staff. Everything he touches turns to gold. Look at what he has done with that ... arena team," a source close to Saint Louis said yesterday. "The only hang-up left is finding a coach for the Saint Louis football team."
Former Waiakea High School head coach Tim Lino has been offered the Saint Louis head coach position, which was vacated by Delbert Tengan two months ago. Tengan, who was previously Lee's defensive coordinator, led the Crusaders to the state championship last year.
As of yesterday, Lino had not decided whether to accept the job, partly because of salary issues. With Lee leaving Saint Louis, Lino could conceivably also be offered the athletic director's position. But Tengan, who is also the varsity basketball head coach, might be first in line for that job.
Observers say Lee's departure will likely cause a mass exodus of Crusaders coaches and other athletic department staff. Some alumni also say it will cause a drop in enrollment at the all-boys Catholic school.
"I think you'll see at least a half-dozen head coaches leave, and most, if not all the football assistants," a source said.
Assistant athletic director Georges Gilbert has already resigned and starts a new job next month as assistant to Interscholastic League of Honolulu Executive Director Don Botelho.
The Islanders' regular season ends July 27, but the team is 8-3 and appears headed to the playoffs. Lee has a one-year contract with the team, which includes an out-clause. UH starts fall camp Aug. 5.
The Warriors have an opening for defensive coordinator, unfilled since Kevin Lempa left for Boston College in February. But the new defensive coordinator will not be Lee, a source said. Lee, associate head coach George Lumpkin and defensive backs coach Rich Miano have shown interest in the position.
The Warriors went through their spring practices without a defensive coordinator as Jones worked personally with the defensive assistants to reinstall schemes previously used under 1999 defensive coordinator Greg McMackin.
Lee reunites at UH with several players he coached at Saint Louis, including linebackers Ikaika Curnan and T.J. Moe and quarterback Tim Chang.
Lee also joins his brother, UH receivers coach Ron Lee. Ron was Cal's offensive coordinator at Saint Louis, and Cal was Ron's defensive coordinator at Kaiser, where they coached Miano.
Cal Lee coached Saint Louis to 15 Prep Bowl or state championships (14 of them in a row) and 18 Interscholastic League of Honolulu titles.
The Crusaders have been ranked as high as No. 2 in the nation. Lee's career record as head coach was 241-32-5, including a state record 55-game winning streak from 1985 to 1990.
Lee, the winningest high school football coach in state history, stepped down as coach after the 2001 season.
In 2000, Lee was named football coach of the year by the National Federation of State High School Associations. He received a similar honor from the Sporting News in 1995.
UH quarterbacks coach Dan Morrison coached against Lee when he was Punahou's head coach.
"Obviously, Cal is one of the finest coaches in the history of the state, and he's a good person," said Morrison when told by a reporter that Lee is joining the UH staff. "He brings experience and class. It will be a very easy transition for him, and I think he will enjoy it. The game of football is the game of football, and he has a tremendous grasp on the things needed to do to win."
