Kahuku principal Pauline Masaniai confirmed the selection of Lee Leslie as the school’s new football coach on Friday.
The Star-Advertiser first reported the hiring Thursday.
Leslie, who coached at Idaho’s Kuna High School until Thursday, earned the job with an impressive resume and FaceTime interview. He has 17 championships to his credit, the last coming during an undefeated season with Bishop Kelly in 2010.
"With many qualified candidates, it was a very difficult decision," Masaniai said in a statement. "Coach Leslie has been very successful in all the programs he’s developed, he’s a motivational speaker, big-hearted and has integrity. He’s known for rallying the community, building support, and structurally improving his stadiums, locker rooms and facilities."
Former coaches Reggie Torres and Siuaki Livai were among those who applied for the position. Those two have won seven state football titles for Kahuku, but Masaniai says she is looking for more than wins.
"Kahuku High is creating the whole package academic, extracurricular, cultural, arts so parents don’t have to look beyond their own community," Masaniai said. "(Leslie) represents the connection for all of our students and the bridge for those who choose to pursue college and football opportunities in the mainland."
Leslie considers getting athletes ready for college his main mission. He expects to work at the school in a capacity to be determined that will allow him to do that. He holds a bachelor’s degree in sociology and a teaching certificate.
"I consider Kahuku to be one of the top opportunities in the country," Leslie said. "They’ve always had amazing athletes.
"I’ll spend as much time with them off the field to ensure that their GPA and ACT scores are where they need to be."
