[ HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS ]
Kalaheo throws
Cashman a party
Kalaheo athletic director Lee Cashman wanted to go out quietly, but he didn't get his wish. What he got instead was a surprise tribute at the school last night.
Cashman officially retired at the end of 2003, but is staying on through the end of January until assistant AD Lewis Fuddy takes over to finish out the school year and until a successor is hired.
A few hundred friends, former coaches and players as well as past and present ADs from other schools came out to wish him well at the surprise retirement dinner in the gymnasium. Cashman is the school's first and only AD, a post he's held for 31 years.
"He set the standard of excellence at Kalaheo," principal James Schlosser said. "He didn't just promote sports, he promoted student-athletes. His concern was to help people develop as young men and women."
Cashman coached the Mustangs girls basketball team to three championships in the late 1970s, and other Kalaheo athletic teams have won numerous Oahu Interscholastic Association titles and a handful of state championships during his reign.
The highly successful Mustangs boys basketball team -- coached by Pete Smith for many years until Chico Furtado took over this season --is regarded as the OIA's premier basketball program.
"If you look on one of our gym walls, you see it filled entirely with championship banners. That's his legacy to our community," Schlosser said. "And it's amazing how many people come up and share with me how much Lee Cashman meant to their development as a person."
Cashman's role has changed a lot over the years. He oversees 48 teams and supervises more than 60 state employees.
"We have 1,120 students and a little under 500 participate in sports, so it's like he's running a school in itself," Schlosser said.
Cashman has been given many service awards by various organizations, including the Hawaii Interscholastic Athletic Directors Association, the Windward Lions Club and the Knights of Columbus. He also received Oceanic Cable's outstanding educator award in 2001.
OIA executive secretary Dwight Toyama, former Kalaheo and Chaminade basketball coach Merv Lopes, former Radford coach Jim Alegre and Nanakuli athletic director Hugh Taufaasau were just a few of Cashman's colleagues at last night's dinner.
"He's given the utmost support to not only me, but also the basketball program and athletics in general," Furtado said. "He's always been fair to me and I'm not the easiest guy to get along with."
The humble Cashman fended off reporters for months, saying he didn't want anything written when he retired or for anyone to hold a celebration. But he lost that bid last night at the retirement party. His friends and associates wouldn't let him go quietly and neither will the press.
"He's stated many times he did not want to be in the limelight," Castle athletic director Richard Haru said. "He's never looking for recognition and it shows in his demeanor and his actions. To him it's all about the kids. It's something for all of us (ADs) to look at and learn from.
"He's been a tremendous asset to not just Kalaheo, but also to the OIA in making good decisions and getting people to see the big picture."