Mar. 7—Forty-two years, including 32 as a head coach, hasn’t changed the heart of Wendell Say.
Forty-two years, including 32 as a head coach, hasn’t changed the heart of Wendell Say.
The longtime Aiea football coach told the Star-Advertiser that he has retired, leaving a legacy that impacted thousands of young men who played for Na Alii. Say will step away from his job as a counselor and coach at the end of this month.
It was more than a job to Say, who graduated from Leilehua, played at Linfield, then spent a decade working as a federal agent. However, he switched paths despite his father’s pleas.
“I was already coaching at the time. My parents were retired federal employees. My dad was upset. ‘You’re leaving a job that pays you well. Now you’re going to teach, which pays you half of that salary. I thought I raised you smarter than that, ‘” Say recalled. “I told him, you raised me to think for myself. I enjoyed coaching the kids. When it came down to it, I couldn’t see myself working 20 years in the federal government until I retired.”
Say went back to school and earned a master’s degree in counseling and a teaching certificate. Aiea became home.
“I was very fortunate. The principals, the AD at the time, they all supported me, ” he said. “I was making half of what I used to make, but you compensate like all teachers.”
That meant taking on extra jobs.
“I was working at the airlines at night with Les Parilla, Jose Guerava, Nolan Maeda, Mike Pavich, Gary Clark. All these guys. All teachers were working at the airport, it seemed like, and we all coached. That was the trade-off, I guess, ” Say said.
Say’s first year as Aiea’s head coach was 1992. He went 140-152-2 in 32 seasons, including the school’s only state Division II football championship in 2003.
After decades in coaching, Say and ‘Iolani coach Wendell Look were…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/wendell-retiring-aiea-football-head-223300631.html
Author : The Honolulu Star-Advertiser
Publish date : 2024-03-07 22:33:00
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