If you're on the court, he'll help you.

Matt Lee has found his own way to keep on giving, over and over, for over 30 years.

"He never gave up on me," Kalani High School junior Mairi Koike said. "He just kept on teaching me until I got it."

Lee, the boys and girls soft tennis and tennis coach at Kalani High School, was recently named one of 12 national finalists for the United States Tennis Association Starfish Award. The award honors high school coaches who implement a no-cut policy for their tennis teams. Lee is the first Hawai'i coach to be named a finalist for the award, which started in 2005.

"It's for everyone to join and you're not judged by how good you are," Koike said.

Even before the award started, Lee had such a policy in place, welcoming any player, regardless of ability, who was willing to put forth the time and effort. It's about the love of the game, one that finds him on a tennis court nearly seven days a week, and helping players in "whatever way I can."

"I think it's been pretty positive," Lee said. "The kids like it. It's really no pressure on them. It's not really about winning, but being out there physically, trying to accomplish things. I think they respond really well to it."

Lee considers himself lucky to be nominated for the award.

"There's a lot more people out there that's deserving of this award," he said.

It's recognition for his tireless work, both at Kalani and outside of the school. Lee works as an electrician for his family's business, which allows him the flexibility to coach at Kalani and with youths and adults at parks and outside leagues.

He graduated from Kaimuki High School in 1974 and has been involved in coaching since, working at all levels from district parks to high schools to adult leagues. Lee will help you as long as you show up.

"He volunteers a lot of his time," said Sheila Kurosu, director of schools tennis for the USTA Hawai'i Pacific Section, who nominated Lee for the award. "When he's not working, he's coaching and on the court with kids. He's volunteering his time at community USTA events and teaching outside of that in the adult community."

Sho Matsuda, a 2004 Kalani graduate who practices with the team, said Lee's training is similar to other coaches. But it's a stress-free environment with positive energy that has allowed players to develop a lot quicker. Lee has a balanced mix of scrimmaging and tennis drills that allows for "a good feel of how the game is going to be like."

"It's not stressing, but it's more about having fun and at the same time, learn how to control the basics of tennis," said Matsuda, who played for a different coach at Kalani.

Sophomore Tiffany Lin said Lee is more than just a coach.

"He's very welcoming," Lin said. "He's not mean, but he can be strict because he wants the best for us."

Kalani sophomore Rory Kakuda, who has been playing tennis for five years, said Lee has helped him improve his game.

"He forced me to use my head more than my power," Kakuda said.

Lee recently returned from the USTA Tennis Teachers Conference, held in late August in New York. He received a scholarship from the local USTA section to attend the conference, which coincided with the U.S. Open and Arthur Ashe Kids' Day.

Kalani's boys and girls soft tennis teams are currently 2-2 on the season.