Lee Clark won 457 games in his head coaching career, including a 1967 Group 1 state championship.
He was a beloved and honored man, with hundreds of boys he coached and thousands of students he taught sharing fond memories of him. "There are two types of people in the world, those who didn't know Lee Clark and those who liked and loved him," said his only child, Chris Clark. "If you knew him and didn't love him, there was something wrong with you."
Clark spent 30 years coaching at Leonia High School, delivering the only state championship and only Bergen County Jamboree finalist the Lions have ever had. He was a gentleman off the court and always ready to talk hoops.
During his time, North Jersey was loaded with talented coaches at the small school level. Clark was at the middle of it all, often facing off against other innovative coaches like Bob Stolarz, Jay Mahoney, and Bob Biegel. "It was a clinic every game," said Paul Puglise, the former Waldwick coach who has headed the Bergen County Jamboree committee since 2007.
Clark was a high school teammate of former Boston Celtic Basketball Hall of Famer Tommy Heinsohn at St. Michael's in Union City. He later became an assistant coach at St. Michael's before taking an English teaching position at Leonia and becoming the junior varsity basketball coach in 1958.
In the fall of 1962, Clark married Valerie Hunt, a Rutgers senior who was student teaching at the high school. Val Clark became one of the state's top woman officials in field hockey, lacrosse, and basketball.
Clark's influence in North Jersey hoops extended beyond just coaching his team. He started Bergen County's first summer league in the 1960s in Leonia, which lasted for over 40 years.
Clark served on the Bergen County Jamboree from the late 1970s until 1996, when he came out of retirement to coach Dumont. During his time on the committee, the tournament grew into the top in-season tournament in the state.
The first time the author covered a Leonia High School basketball game was in January 1975, when Clark was already halfway to legendary status. Clark was patient with the young reporter, asking questions about the oddly shaped court.
The author got to know Lee pretty well over the years, covering games and spending time with him and the rest of the Jamboree committee. Lee welcomed the author into the club and became a friend.
Lee Clark passed away on August 9 at the age of 93 in a rehabilitation facility near his Manahawkin home.
Source: Yahoo Sports
