When LaVell Edwards invested in Kalani Sitake’s life, he changed it forever

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Editor’s note: First in an occasional series exploring LaVell Edwards’ legacy of leadership.

Getting called into LaVell Edwards’ office meant a handful of Lemonheads and some one-on-one time with the BYU head coach. For freshman fullback Kalani Sitake, he couldn’t wait to sit down with the man he’d dreamed of playing for since his childhood.

Adding some sweetness to the visit was the fact that BYU had just upset No. 17 Notre Dame 21-14 in South Bend in a game where Sitake’s blocking prowess opened paths for tailback Jamal Willis all afternoon.

“I’m really excited and I go sit down with him and we just start talking about my family instead of football,” Sitake said. “He asks about my brothers and sisters and my dad, being a single father and things like that, and he says, ‘Oh, I think you are doing a great job playing for us and we appreciate that.’”

Then Edwards turned the conversation.

“You know,” the coach said, “you would be a really good missionary,” Sitake recalled.

Sitake sat still as his mind began to race.

“I’m like, ‘What? I’m loving football and I’m playing quite a bit as a true freshman, and we are going to be a really good team.’ I felt like he was pushing me out the door a little bit.”

After a deep swallow or two, Sitake answered.

“I haven’t really thought about that recently. I mean, growing up, you always think about it, but I just don’t know if that’s for me,” he recalled, convinced that Edwards could read his mind.

The season continued, but Sitake couldn’t get the mission question out of his head. He prayed about it and the answer came. In time, he was called to serve for two years in Oakland, California.

The game-changing office visit wasn’t the first time Edwards expressed an interest in Sitake’s long-term success, and it wouldn’t be his last.

As a young boy living in Provo, Sitake timed his afternoon bike rides around BYU’s practice schedule so he could catch a glimpse of the team. During one drive-by, he noticed a problem with the handlebars. He got off his bike so he could adjust them.

“I’m trying to get it straightened out and LaVell walked out of his office and across the parking lot. He looked at me and said, ‘Nice bike. Where is your helmet?’”

“I don’t have one,” Sitake answered.

“You need a helmet,” Edwards said. “Stay safe.”

“Yes, sir!” Sitake said.

Excited about the encounter, Sitake raced home, ran into the house and yelled to his dad that he had met coach Edwards and he said, “I need a helmet.”

What the stoic football coach didn’t know was after that initial meet-and-greet, Sitake, with his new helmet, rode that bike up and down the parking lot countless times, hoping to run into him again.

Years later, Sitake would get another opportunity to listen to Edwards. BYU entered his recruiting process late. The lack of attention left the teen disappointed, and he was already committed to Iowa. Edwards came to their St. Louis, Missouri, home anyway.

“When LaVell came to visit us, I was still frustrated,” Sitake said. “I’d been to their camps, supported BYU all my life and they hadn’t shown interest. But LaVell sat down with us and was just calm, humble and funny. He simply said, ‘We made some mistakes. We’re hoping it’s not too late. We’d love to have you.’”

Sitake was taken aback by Edwards’ honesty — and so was his father, Tom.

“I was about to say something when I looked over and my dad is crying and then he says, ‘It’s not too late, coach! He’s coming to BYU!’ I was like, ‘Well, there it is.’ I committed on the spot.”

Sitake suited up for the Cougars in 1994 and 1997-2000. He was on the field playing fullback during Edwards’ final victory at Utah before retiring at the end of the 2000 season.

When Sitake was named head coach of the Cougars on Dec. 19, 2015, he not only became the first Tongan head coach in college football history, but, thanks to his mentor’s prodding, Sitake was also the first head football coach at BYU to have served a mission.

“At the time, I don’t think he was thinking, ‘This kid will be a team captain,’ or, ‘He’ll be a coach someday,’” Sitake said. “But he saw beyond football. He saw where my soul could grow.”

Even today, nearly 10 years after Edwards’ death, Sitake still listens to his coach. Whenever he needs a boost, he goes to his phone and pulls up a voicemail left by Edwards after BYU’s 1-3 start during Sitake’s debut season.

“I was hearing all the noise about being a horrible hire. Things like that get to you and I was doubting myself,” Sitake said. “I was like, ‘Dude, maybe I shouldn’t have gone for two against Utah (two weeks earlier).’ There’s a lot of things going on in my head as I was doubting myself.”

Edwards called while Sitake was on the team bus heading to LaVell Edwards Stadium to face Toledo. The call went straight to voicemail and when the notification buzzed Sitake’s phone, he looked down and saw “LaVell Edwards” — so he pushed play.

“Hi Kalani, I feel really good about the future of BYU football. You’re doing a great job. Good luck tonight. Keep it going!”

Sitake started to cry — and he pushed play again and again and again.

“I was like, ‘I’m just going to keep doing it,’” he said. “I don’t know if everybody else can see it, but he sees it, so I’m just gonna keep going.”

BYU beat the Rockets that night 55-53. The next week, they stunned Michigan State 31-14 and followed that with a 28-21 double-overtime victory against Mississippi State. The Cougars turned their 1-3 start into a 9-4 finish, which included a victory in the Poinsettia Bowl.

Edwards’ investment in Sitake’s life wasn’t an exception, it was his rule. He took the time to talk to a young boy about his bike, a recruit about his program, a fullback about a mission and a young head coach about not giving up.

Sitake’s experience is like thousands of others who enjoyed Edwards’ time and attention, and they are still basking in his legacy of leadership.

Dave McCann collected the content for this article while researching and writing the book “The Leadership Legacy of LaVell Edwards,” which he co-authored with Dr. Mark D. Ogletree.

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