BYU volleyball outside hitter Teilon-Jonathan Tufuga is back with the Cougars, ready to embrace his role as a leader for the team — on and off the court.
The last time Tufuga played for BYU was back in the spring of 2021, when he a part of the squad that made to the national championship, falling short by losing in the final to Hawaii.
"It's something that stays on my mind a lot," Tufuga said. "It was such a good moment in my life, but sometimes I feel I could've done more when coach called my number. Thinking of all the things that I feel I lacked in, my inadequacies, weighed heavy on my mind."
The loss was crushing, but in hindsight, Tufuga sees it as a blessing in disguise — one that helped his team grow stronger through adversity.
"I was really proud of my team for the level of professionalism they had after losing," Tufuga said. "There was never a guy who made it all about them. Because of a lot of guys' examples, it made me think about serving a mission. The members of the church, and even the non-members, helped me realize the blessings I had, acting as a catalyst for me to go on a mission."
After that season, Tufuga traded in the sneakers for the dress shoes by deciding to step away from volleyball to serve a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints where he served in Eugene, Oregon for two years. He spoke of this as moment of re-evaluation of what's truly important.
"Coming back from a mission I now have a greater perspective" Tufuga said. "It's very comforting to know as an athlete what's centralized now in my life is my Heavenly Father and relationship with my Savior. My foundation is built on something greater than sports."
That foundation was first strengthened during his freshman season at BYU, thanks to his teammates — including his older brother, Storm.
"One of my biggest inspirations is my big brother, Storm," Tufuga said. "After I saw him go through his mission and come back to an institution that values a relationship with Jesus Christ, it helped me realize what really matters —being around like-minded people and staying true to your faith in every endeavor."
With over 700 student-athletes at BYU, many wrestle with the decision of whether to serve a mission. Tufuga admitted to being in that same position, uncertain about leaving behind his athletic career. Now, he hopes to encourage others facing the same choice.
"Go prove to your Heavenly Father that He comes first," Tufuga said. "If you have a true foundation in Jesus Christ and you have a pure motivation to serve, I say go do it. Go figure out how real God is to you. You go and serve Him and He will give back to you."
As expected, stepping away from elite competition and then expecting to return back to form quickly is no easy task. Tufuga admitted there's some rust to shake off but is pleased with how he's been to find his place with the team, on and off the court.
"The transition is not always easy," Tufuga said. "I feel lucky and blessed to come back to this wonderful team who accepts me for who I am and goes to battle with me every single day."
In the future, Tufuga plans to keep volleyball a central part of his life. His main individual goal is to play professionally overseas in Italy or follow in the footsteps of his older brother, Storm, who is currently coaching at Orem High School. But for now, his focus is on BYU — and on one goal above all else.
"The biggest goal we have is to win a national championship, it's the highest priority," Tufuga said.
It would be BYU’s first since 2004. And with Tufuga back in the lineup, leading by faith and example, the Cougars are working to make that a reality.