June Jones to oversee athletics at Saint Louis School
STAR-ADVERTISER / JULY 2016
June Jones is moving from his offensive coordinator position at Kapolei to athletic director at Saint Louis.
After more than 30 years in coaching, June Jones is moving into administration as Saint Louis School’s new director of athletic programs and development, the school said.
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“He (Jones) will be overseeing the athletics program as far as helping our students reach not only athletic excellence but also academic excellence, which is really a big part of why he wanted to be at Saint Louis,” said Glenn Medeiros, head of school for Saint Louis. “He really cares about Hawaii’s kids.”
If Cal Lee steps down as head football coach, Jones is expected to assume that position as well. But “that would be June’s decision,” a source said.
Lee, 70, guided the Crusaders to the Hawaii High School Athletic Association Open Division title last month and has not said if he will return for 2017. He has said he will make a decision after the holidays.
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Jones is expected to take on a major fundraising role for the school in addition to athletics.
Wade Okamura will remain as director of athletics, a position he has held since 2014, Medeiros said.
“ June firmly believes in what we are doing up here (at Saint Louis) in giving the kids an opportunity to take the next step,” said Tony Guerrero, a member of the school’s board of directors. “It is not about football, it is about the education.”
Guerrero said, “It is a bigger job than (just) AD.”
”He oversees all of athletics but will also help us with the fundraising we need on the athletic side, also helping to build scholarship opportunities and financial-aid opportunities for all of our students,” Medeiros said.
“I want Coach Cal to be back; he and I have a very good relationship,” Medeiros said. “The position that June is here for is not one specifically for coaching, it is more of an administrative overseeing role. One of the reasons why I felt June was a good fit (is) because he has a good relationship with Coach Cal and that would be a good team. (So) I want him to be here but, ultimately, that is something that he chooses.”
Jones, 63, has been a head coach in the NFL and college and spent the past season as offensive coordinator at Kapolei, where he mentored quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa.
Sources said Tagovailoa is expected to remain at Kapolei and not succeed his record-setting brother, Tua, at Saint Louis. Transfer rules would mandate sitting out a year from competition.
At UH, Jones guided the Rainbow Warriors to what was the biggest single-season turnaround in NCAA history, taking a program that had gone 0-12 before his arrival to 9-4 in 1999.
When he left UH after the 2007 Sugar Bowl season, he was the school’s winningest head coach with a 76-41 record over nine seasons.
Jones spent parts of seven seasons at Southern Methodist before resigning during the 2014 season. He was 36-43 with the Mustangs.
Jones was a quarterback at the University of Oregon, Hawaii and Portland State before going on to a five-year career in the NFL with the Atlanta Falcons and a year in the Canadian Football League.
He served as head coach of the Atlanta Falcons (1994-96) and San Diego Chargers (1998) before becoming UH’s head coach.
Jones was an unsuccessful finalist for the UH head coaching job that went to Nick Rolovich last year.
Lee, a two-time national high school coach of the year, is in his third stay at Saint Louis, where he previously served in 1971 and 1982-2001. He and his brother, Ron, 72, engineered a run of 14 consecutive Prep Bowl and state championships in their tenures at Kalaepohaku. Saint Louis won 55 consecutive games from 1985 to 1990.
92 responses to “June Jones to oversee athletics at Saint Louis School”
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So………….watch Kahuku Football get spanked again next year…..
Power to da man…..go JJ.
and his new salary will be how much?
Cal Lee is my age which is 70. both graduated in ’64
iwanaknow, you probably never played a down of football so just Ai Kae !
Kahuku will be back !!
Is there a rule book somehwere that says you gotta playball to express yourself in making comments about football??? Seems there are some who feel that it’s a prerequisite.
mctruck only when someone can predict that one school can spank another school one year away !
So to you also Ai Kae !
Only way to beat Kahuku is with more polynesians. And with the best qb. God caused a fumble in the 4th. That’s the difference.
Baby Tagovailoa transferring to now that Older brother is graduating?
Why transfer and sit out a year??
Wonder if UH has offered for his services???, word is that he might be better than older brother.
Doubt it. Not as fast.
Maybe to U.H. but he has already made a verbal commitment to Alabama like his brother.
UH has no chance for Taulia. He will have tons of D1 offers to choose from just like his brother. If you still doubt it maybe you should visit one of the PAC12 athletic facilities and see why
So if I had the choice between red shirting one year to gain more experience and possibly getting recruited by the likes of another SEC school as a result of getting tutored by some of the best football minds (June Jones, Ron Lee and Vinnie Passas) OR staying at Kapolei and not being challenged and tutored at the highest level in Hawaii which would decrease my stock in choosing from some of the best colleges out there. What would I do? Hmmmmmmm?
Maybe but I don’t think “red shirting” in high school is the same as college. He would have to give up a year [junior] and start playing as a senior.
We’ve all seen what Mariotta accomplished in Senior year only so I wouldn’t rule out the transfer for both Taulia and QB from Kahuku. It’s all about getting your kids too the next level and there s no better coaching than what these boys would get. Imagine having coach JJ in your corner from a recruiting stand point. Answer is real clear to me.
That’s an all boy’s school, right. OK your daughters will be safe!
Thinking the same thing, Mr. Luke….
That’s thinking?
Why spend your time hating? Both of you were rooting for Hawaii during the glory years and you know it.
but hope he does not influence the boys
Just knew wouldn’t take long for some to show their gutter mentality. Congratulations, you did it.
Right on OxTail!
ditto.
Yup. beyond gutter.
agree.
What happened to Wade O.?
Did you read the article? The answer is in there.
Just gave people another reason to root against St Louis.
Really? So what school would you have prefered JJ give his support to if given the opportunity?
Wow. June Jones is a man with vision and a master at marketing. Good Luck to him.
I guess St. Louis’s flirtation with becoming an actual academic school is over.
I know many from there who have/had successful professional careers outside of athletics. Fact is, JJ is going to bring in more money to the school to further enhance their programs.
And I know many alumni who say Hamamoto was pushed out because she was too academic-oriented, and the alumni wanted a return to football glory.
I know that as a fact as she revised the academic curriculum and held many teachers responsible for the success and failure of every student. She upped the academic standards when she ascertained many of the students scored below ave. on the SAT etc…but her focus on academics conflicted with athletics as many students were placed on probation and couldn’t play sports because of their poor gpa and parents and alumni complained which is the reason for her being moved out of St. Louis when she actually was brought in to do what she actually did and when she chg. the academic culture, guess what…it wasn’t appreciated. Oh, well…….
ryan is right. Pat was and is a solid educator. Madeiros not so much I hear. Sings well though. JJ a moral leader? Wow. Guess they did not check out his UH and SMU record.
Are we talking about the same Hamamoto who was in charge of DOE while it was going through some of the worst academic periods? Can anyone tell me what she accomplished?
Two iconic Honolulu sports facilities bear the name of St Louis Grads–Aloha Stadium (GOV John Burns) and the NBC (Mayor Neil Blaisdell ). I can go on and on but why bother with idiots.
Wow, my comment agreeing with you is under moderation for that i… word but every one of sickening posts about JJ is allowed. Great job, SA.
Puzzling that a 3.0 student has a hard time passing the SAT though.
Please stop with the rumors and hate as it’s clear you all are just JEALOUS or you wouldn’t care. If JJ decided to support any of your schools would your posts be positive? Uh I would think so right?
Can’t believe that JJ is taking a down grade in pay. Is their something up with St. Louis. I also hear about watching your daughters. You can’t take it away from JJ, he is a very good coach and can turn programs around. As for his reputation about young women, not sure.
You can’t go down from zero, he isn’t getting paid anything right now.
63? Looks older than that.
So the Crusades starts again. That school is all about football. I wonder who they will pick for FB coach?
He’s never heard of such a thing as loyalty. Leaves UH, leaves SMU under curious circumstances, now leaves Kapolei. Leaves all these young men in the lurch……
Saint Louis may have lost its bearings. It is an odd hire for a Catholic School with standards. Supposedly. Sad to see the decline. Punahou also is battling the football school mentality.
I don’t know Kale Ane well but he is a good man from what I’ve seen.
Pure nonsense
No…SL has not lost its bearings. It’s is a jock school, pure and simple.
sad to hear it
What’s up with all of the JEALOUS posts? Life is too short guys.
What ?? June is a loser. I thought he is a pro level coach n no a ad for a high school in Hawaii ?? June is a total loser.
Thank you, I feel the same way. JJ you are & will always be a loser in my books.
Jones is more than capable for this job.
Does Saint Louis have a womens’s volleyball team ?
HAHAHA!!! Thinking the same thing!!!
He can visit Sacred heart campus for girl volleyball.
Good luck to JJ. He’s the best coach UH and the islands have ever seen. Should the University and State decide to support and promote UH Athletics, I hope he will become an integral part of the venture. Expertise and experience are sorely needed for UH Athletics.
agree.
disagree..you missed the backstory hon
Yup Coach Jone sure helped UH and Hawaii but some people are just too S TU P I D to see that ?
Am I missing something as some of the comments mention young daughters or girls….did something happen to JJ’s daughters or does he have daughters or are you saying that St. Louis will open their school and let girls enroll……I mean, we’re talking about his ability as A.D. and then I see comments about “watch out for young daughters or girls.” I don’t get it so please educate me on this topic…….
There was talk about him dating some young women athletes at UH.
He was.
Uhh, I think HOSSANA was being sarcastic.
Sorry, I’m a little naive!
I can’t believe how stupid and gullible people are. The whole Lily thing was a lie that has never stopped growing. Nothing happened between JJ and any young women. This kind of stuff is ridiculous and unfounded. Grow up already!
It is a fact between JJ and Lily, everybody who works at UH knows about, why do you think he left Hawaii to go SMU, Lily is from Texas. Why would you leave a job where everyone treat you like God???? Where have you been?
I have been waiting years for proof of this alleged “fact”. No one has any proof. And you leave when the AD doesn’t want you and the other school pays you $2 million a year.
@Makiki 808…Please do not disparage the name(s) of any people with your sordid post. Lily has done absolutely nothing to warrant this kind of salacious rumor-mongering. Whatever did or did not happen is simply no one’s business. Peace be with you…..
Lily had previously stated that she did not know JJ and had never had a relationship with him. She doesn’t know where this rumor had started but it was hateful and unfounded. As with all rumors, the story just grows out of proportion so that’s why Makiki808 don’t listen to rumors unless you live in their shoes.
Agree with el_burro_sabio, chod, oldertimer808, WalkoffBalk.
That’s just a local urban legend. Where’s the super athletic kid from this union?
URBAN LEGEND. PERIOD.
i’m just glad st. louie is not coed
Looks like St. Louis football will soon be recruiting from Koolau Boys Home.
Why not? Last chance academy! Might save a few.
Godspeed, June Jone. I will be praying along with you.
As I review the posts I am wondering why very few have seen that there may be a silver lining to this arrangement. With June Jones’ connections, he may be able to market for more scholarships for young men who could have an opportunity to get a quality education that they could not have otherwise. He also could help them connect with college coaches who could open doors not previously attainable. I see this as a “win-win” situation. Also as the parent of a proud St. Louis man, the values that St. Louis has taught my son (and all other men of Kalaepohaku) have been priceless. I could not be prouder to be associated with such a wonderful school. (Unfortunately I don’t have the same connection with my daughters’ alma mater-Kamehameha).
Agree, win-win all around. Whether Coach Lee retires or not, the Crusaders now have a potential HC in the wings with proven credentials, and if that comes to pass (pun intended), then we can look forward to more exciting ball coming out of Kalaepohaku. Even if JJ isn’t HC, I can imagine the best young QB prospects flocking to St. Louis, knowing that JJ’s there to open doors for them as well as provide guidance. Smart move, Glenn Medeiros, head of school!
Wow no mention of cal working at UH WITH Jones
I guess the bottom line is that there are people who are just motivated by jealousy for the success of others. The a’ama crab bucket analogy.
So what. Isn’t St Louis an all male school?? Or is jones gone gay(looking for young males instead of young girls. June is a joke going from NFL head coach to AD in a hoagie school.
danji: “June is a joke going from NFL head coach to AD in a hoagie school.” — Depends on how you look at it. My eyes tell me that JJ’s not driven by ego or greed. Never has been. He has made his priorities clear to all who would open their eyes. Hawaii is his home; we are his ‘ohana. With humility and aloha, and in silence, he goes about the work of helping our keiki o ka ‘aina in a sport that he loves. The level doesn’t matter. Power and money matter even less. Hats off to St. Louis and Coach Hernandez at Kapolei for having the courage to do the right thing.
Catholic school mentality…they strive to be the best in football by using their “financial” resources. St Louis like Bishop Gorman..recruit the best talent throughout the state and nation. This is a reason that the Clark County public schools in Nevada refuses to schedule games with Bishop Gorman. It’s only obvious, with the pipeline of talent, why wouldn’t they be contenders for football championship titles every year. Having said that, the State public high schools should stick to their own sports (boys and girls) championships and have the ILH fend for themselves. Let’s see how JJ will motivate the athletes towards education by playing amongst themselves because the ILH league would become boring for the athletes from playing each other two or three times a season. It’s more about winning and ego, rather than striving for excellence in education. As an example, recruiting of athletes are done by state and private colleges and as such, they all compete under the same NCAA rules and here in Hawaii, the public and private schools doesn’t play under the same rules when it comes to “financial aid” for the talented athletes whose parents are not able to afford the tuition.
I hear you and understand where you’re coming from. What you say is true. The problem is that there’s more to it. Our private schools provide quality education that’s attractive to all parents, and we all know the connection between education and success in life. Sports is a door of opportunity for gifted athletes, and scholarships are a means to achieve their personal dreams. Rather than criticizing private schools, we ought to be celebrating them. I wish every kid in Hawaii had a scholarship to attend schools like St. Louis, Punahou, Iolani, Kamehameha, etc.
Are there more scholarships provided to athletes versus to the academically talented students in the public schools? The criticizing issue is how the private schools go about recruiting the talented athletes that can’t afford the tuition and end up not having enough resources to provide for the academically talented that are striving to achieve their personal goals and whose parents cannot afford the tuition.
Good point, Kahuku01. You’re right. Hopefully there’s a balance between athletic and academic scholarships. I wonder what the policy is at private schools…
This is a great move for STL period. While June has been some what of a polarizing figure in the islands, fact is that he brought back the glory days at both UH/SMU (both football programs that we’re left for dead which he helped to resurrect, UH unfortunately has never recovered) and look what he accomplished with Kapolei’s offense in just 1 year. More importantly he always called Hawaii home (even when he was the head coach at SMU) and has a passion to see our local kids succeed in life so he’s not doing this for income or fame but rather to give back to the local community. Most don’t know this but he’s been mentoring Tua and Taulia since he returned to the islands and could be seen on the STL sidelines during games last year so I myself saw this coming last year. For the haters that just hate and disparage JJ and STL out of jealously, please just stop. JJ doesn’t deserve any of this negative chatter and unwarranted BS. As for STL, they are doing just fine with the their scholar athletes and quite possibly could have another Heisman candidate/winner from Hawaii in a few years which all of HI benefits from. Just think of all of the potential college scholarship opportunities this now presents to STL student athletes with JJ as their AD/coach?
Interesting that neither the article, nor any of the comments thus far say anything about Jones’ academic background. Many, if not most AD’s have a master’s. Has he ever done anything on the educational or administrative side of the house?
@menejohn, STL AD remains in place. JJ role is to help their student athletes reach their full potential as well as fundraise fo support scholarships etc. His 30 years of coaching experience in the NFL and at Division 1 programs is far greater than any Master’s degree in my opinion and any high school would benefit tremendously with his contacts at the collegiate level. Again just think of how JJ will be helping local kids get to the next level.
If jj managed his money well, he can live off the interest for the rest of his life. Pay is not an issue for him.
This position appears to be one created since he is not replacing anyone.
The school and its religion has practice the conscience of forgiveness if any is needed.
By the way for all those who believe or know for a fact that he had a relationship with a woman athlete while she was at UH, you should look into the so many relationships created by teacher/professors at higher education institutes with their students. Not saying all are but there is enough.
JJ morals is his and he will be judged by the highest of all one day like all of us.