Usually a football player who switches over from soccer is a punter or kicker, but not for Kaua‘i’s Scott Lee, who is the starting left guard for NCAA Division II University of Nebraska-Omaha. The 2000 Kaua‘i High School graduate only
Usually a football player who switches over from soccer is a punter or kicker, but not for Kaua‘i’s Scott Lee, who is the starting left guard for NCAA Division II University of Nebraska-Omaha.
The 2000 Kaua‘i High School graduate only started playing football during his junior year. A product of AYSO, Lee just wanted to try the game of football and it turned out for the better, as he went from Yuba Junior College in California to Butte Junior College, which eventually led to him earning a partial scholarship from UNO.
“Soccer is like football with almost the same movements and playing soccer helped me with my feet,” Lee said.
Not bad for a guy who played only two years of organized football going into the college ranks.
Lee is also as humble as they come by giving up the spotlight to one of the up and coming runningbacks at UNO.
“I consider my biggest accomplishment this year allowing our runningback, who came in at the fourth week of the season and rushed for almost 1,500 yards,” Lee said.
Even Lee’s offensive line coach, Scott Fuchs has high praise for the former Kahili Adventist student.
“He is a big player that hits people and is able to make plays for us, plus we had a very successful year rushing the ball and he was a big part of that,” Fuchs said.
Lee also feels that he isn’t the only local boy who can play at the college level.
“Hawai‘i has the most physcial football players and I don’t think Kaua‘i boys realize just how good they are,” Lee said.
But his biggest advice to island football players isn’t skills needed on the field, instead Lee stresses that academics are just as important.
“Get good grades, don’t use drugs, set goals for yourself, and only you can stop yourself from what you want to do,” Lee said.
Lee also doesn’t forget where he’s from and especially the people who got him where he is today.
“My family, my parents (Sam and Sheila), Coach Rigsby of Butte Junior College, and my high school coaches deserve lots of credit for allowing me to be where I’m at today,” Lee said.
With one more year to go at UNO, Lee plans to go out with a bang and hopefully get some looks from NFL scouts.
However, if the NFL doesn’t come knocking, Lee plans to get into real estate, but still isn’t sure what he wants to do. Lee is majoring in general and recreational leisure studies, with an emphasis in teaching (k-12). But for Lee, looking to the future is good, but living for today is even better.
“I just take it one day at a time,” Lee said.
