“I’m officially retired,” said Cal Lee, 76, the most successful coach in the history of Hawaii high school football.
Two months ago, Lee hinted that it was time to put away his clipboard, whistle and game-day stare. This time, Lee said, he has walked away from a coaching career spanning more than 50 years, the last two as Saint Louis School’s defensive coordinator.
“I enjoyed coaching, but you need the energy, the giddy-up, all that stuff,” Lee said. “After 50-plus years, like anybody else, you know when it’s time. It’s time.”
In two stints covering 27 years as Saint Louis’ head coach, Lee compiled a record of 296-41-5. From 1986 through 1999, Lee led the Crusaders in winning 13 consecutive Oahu Prep Bowls and then the inaugural state tournament. With brother Ron Lee as head coach and Cal Lee as defensive coordinator, Kaiser High won the 1979 Oahu Prep Bowl. Lee also was on the University of Hawaii coaching staff for eight seasons.
Among the Crusaders he coached were UH head coach Timmy Chang, quarterback Tua Tagovailoa of the Miami Dolphins, offensive linemen Dominic Raiola and Olin Kreutz, and running back Chris Fuamatu-Ma‘afala.
“He is, in one word, the definition of legend,” Chang said. “He’s the winningest coach in Hawaii football. He’s the reason why a lot of kids from around the state grew up playing for Saint Louis. My family has a great relationship with him. We’re very indebted to him for everything he’s done for me in my playing career, as well as my coaching career. He’s always been there for me.”
Lee said: “I look at myself as being fortunate I got to coach good players. Shoot, they were all good players. It’s all about timing, and I kind of hit it that they were there when I was there, and good things happened.”
Lee said there are too many standout players and games to fully acknowledge. But Lee said one of his fondest memories was a 1983 game against Kamehameha. With no score entering the final quarter, Kamehameha needed a victory to remain in contention for the ILH title and accompanying berth in the Prep Bowl. But with 14 seconds left, Saint Louis’ 5-foot-5, 160-pound nose guard Shawn Nakakura and 177-pound defensive tackle Dana Paikai sacked Kamehameha quarterback Garrett Awai for the game-winning safety in a 2-0 victory.
A year after struggling in his initial Saint Louis season as head coach, the Crusaders went undefeated in 1983 with an under-sized squad. Nakakura, who was named to the All-State first team, embodied that defense. Lee said Nakakura, pound for pound, was the strongest and one of the quickest Crusaders.
Lee, with a defense-sided view, also marveled about two of his former backs. Boyd Yap transferred to Kaiser in 1979, and helped lead the Cougars to the 1979 Prep Bowl title.
“I was really impressed with Boyd,” Lee said. “He was quiet, worked hard, never said much. I was thinking: what the heck did he do to get kicked out (of Kamehameha)? He was the nicest kid I ever met. I tell you what, he was one of the best players I ever saw. Boyd would run for 80 yards and come out and it was like nothing. He just played the game. He never celebrated. He acted like it was what he was supposed to do.”
Lee said George Ornellas was comparable to Yap. Ornellas was the state’s player of the year as a Saint Louis junior and senior. At one point, he averaged a touchdown ever three times he caught a pass or carried the ball, according to Honolulu Star-Advertiser historian Jerry Campany.
“That guy, I’m not kidding, I couldn’t get him tired,” Lee said of Ornellas. “He would go out there and play hard and he never once said, ‘Coach, I need a break.’ He could play 48 minutes non stop. A great player.”
Of his time at UH, where he coached the linebackers, he listed Solomon Elimimian, Corey Paredes, Adam Leonard and Blaze Soares as among the memorable. Elimimian holds the UH record with 434 tackles in a career.
“Solomon is another guy I was fortunate enough to coach,” Lee said. “He would do everything you told him to do. He was a great athlete. He was MVP in the Canadian Football League. He was gifted. I was fortunate to be there when they were there. When you have good players, you become a better coach. That’s all it is. I had good players.”
Lee said he is in good health. “You slow down, like everybody else, you’re not going 100 mph like before,” he said of retirement. “When you retire, you just can’t sit down. Everybody thinks you’re just going to relax. You can’t. You’ve got to move around.”
He said he and his wife plan to travel. He also has regular pickle ball games with older brother Ron, who will continue to coach at Saint Louis.
“I’m very fortunate,” Lee said of his coaching career. “The way things went, you have to be fortunate. It’s like when you’re on the craps table and you’re rolling and the numbers come out. That’s how it goes. And all of a sudden you have a good year. And then another one. All those guys — the players, the coaches — I really appreciate all the work they did. It was a good experience, and I’m very fortunate.”
