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If you haven’t heard, Saint Louis’ Cal Lee has retired from coaching.
Here are two news reports — a Star-Advertiser story and a Hawaii News Now clip:
>> Saying ‘It’s Time’, Coaching Great Cal Lee Calls It A Career (by Stephen Tsai, Honolulu Star-Advertiser, June 13)
Lee is well known as the winningest coach in Hawaii high school history — going 296-41-5 in three different stints as the Saint Louis head man — 1972, 1982 to 2001, and 2014 to 2019.
And he piled up the championships — 14 Prep Bowl titles and five top-tier state championships. During his 27 seasons as Saint Louis’ head coach, the Crusaders did not win the top prize only eight times — 1972, 1982, 1984, 1985, 2000, 2001, 2014 and 2015.
Most recently, since 2020, Lee was the defensive coordinator for the Crusaders under head coach and brother Ron Lee.
His career took him many places on the sidelines on Oahu after starring as a player at Kalani and then Willamette (Salem, Oregon). He also spent a year (1970) at Willamette as a graduate assistant.
Other coaching positions Lee held were: Saint Louis JV coach in 1971; as Kaiser defensive coordinator under his brother Ron from 1973 to 1979; the head coach of the Hawaiian Islanders arena football team (2003); University of Hawaii assistant (2004 through 2011); and Kalani DC under Ron (2012 to 2014).
Lee’s presence on the sidelines and his positive impact on players in the 808 will be missed. And winning isn’t the only thing that defines him. He has always been humble and straightforward.
Throughout the years, whenever Lee was asked to name some of the top players he coached, he invariably would say, “They were all good,” not wanting to single anybody out.
Many players he coached, like current UH head coach Timmy Chang, went on to star in college. And lots of others, like current Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, made it to the NFL.
Here is an informative HawaiiPrepWorld.com story about Lee, when he was going into the 2019 season:
>> GLORY DAYS: Coach Cal Lee And The 2019 Saint Louis Crusaders
If you see the 76-year-old Lee at Saint Louis games this season or if you see him around town, be sure to go up and shake his hand and thank him for his contribution to Hawaii high school football.
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ALSO AT BedrockSportsHawaii.com:
>> Major Changes To OIA Football Regular Season: ADs Vote To Blend Open And D-I
