BYU coach Kalani Sitake highlights God's impact on both the ‘small details and large milestones’

While life without football to look forward to each weekend may seem less exciting, it's important to appreciate that BYU football means much more than just the record it finishes with at the end of the season.

That includes moments like head coach Kalani Sitake’s BYU devotional on Tuesday morning. Seeing Sitake present himself in a spiritual and reflective state reminds all of us that unique opportunities like these are likely to come only in the offseason.

After all, Sitake himself said, "It has to be more than football, especially here."

With appreciation for Sitake’s time in mind, along with President Dallin H. Oaks' message about the importance of celebrating Easter by remembering Christ’s resurrection and sacrifice, the stage was set for Sitake to share a spiritual message of his own.

Before Sitake was ever BYU’s head coach — let alone coaching at all — he was a BYU student chasing his childhood dreams. He wished for escalators to replace the long staircases leading up to campus, knew the pain of a parking citation and truly embodied the age-old saying "C’s get degrees," graduating from BYU with a bachelor’s degree in English despite a couple C-minuses.

But while the lighthearted start to his devotional connected with all the students watching in attendance or live on BYUtv, Sitake quickly made it clear to the crowd that "God has a plan for you" through both the "small details and the large milestones."

Reflecting on his early life, Sitake began his speech by reflecting on life as an elementary school kid, witnessing LaVell Edwards’ revolutionary offense unfold each year, rooting for players from his neighborhood and being inspired that the players on the team looked like him.

However, his life changed at a young age when his parents divorced.

Suddenly, life was no longer just staying with his parents in Hawaii. Instead, he had to move from state to state, never staying in one place for more than six months, living with various family members and being separated from his siblings.

Eventually, he reunited with his siblings and settled in Utah under his father’s roof. But while life had become less chaotic, Sitake was deeply affected by everything he had experienced, describing himself as "broken" and "desperate for an answer."

So even when Sitake’s elementary school had the incredible opportunity to host the undefeated 1984 BYU football team — an event he described as the "best thing going in his life" — he still felt sad amid all the excitement, missing his mom, friends and old life in Hawaii.

But despite staying back from the crowd while the other kids interacted with the team, it was Sitake’s favorite player, Vai Sikahema — BYU running back and kick returner, and the first Tongan in the NFL — who took notice of Sitake.

While Sitake didn’t say much to Sikahema, the interaction would change his life as Sitake received a hug and was told, “Everything is going to be fine, I love you, and God loves you.”

The love he experienced in that moment changed Sitake and inspired him to one day play football as well. Sitake not only achieved his goal, but he did so as a running back and kick returner, all while wearing No. 23 — Sikahema’s jersey number.

Even after meeting Sikahema as an adult, Sitake was the only one who remembered the encounter. The moment truly exemplified how God was able to use a small detail, like Sikahema showing love to a kid, to be used as a major milestone in Sitake’s life.

Life still had its adversities for Sitake, with three major surgeries during his time at BYU being among the most notable. But despite this, having played 50 games and learned fullback and long snapper skills, Sitake was in a great position to follow his dreams even further as a fullback (with long snapper skills) for the Cincinnati Bengals.

On top of all that, he had been the healthiest he had been in a long time, giving him plenty of hope for his future as an NFL player.

But on the first day of practice, a sudden flare-up in his back led to the devastating news that his back and his past surgeries would never allow him to play again.

Just the night before, he had prayed to God, saying, “Heavenly Father, I trust you,” as he navigated his newfound life. But now, he was witnessing his dream end before it even had a chance to begin.

At first, he was angry with God for the devastating news. Yet, in that moment, he felt the same warmth he had when hugged by Sikahema as a kid.

"Healed mentally and spiritually," Sitake said, as he came to understand that God had a different path for him and chose to trust that "there must be something better" out there for him.

For the next 15 years, he accomplished various personal milestones, such as becoming a "loving husband, good father, and good son," while holding various coaching positions, including a tenure as the defensive coordinator at Utah.

What followed next was something he couldn’t have predicted.

“I got the dream job I never knew I wanted,” said Sitake.

In 2015, Sitake was offered the head coaching position at BYU, becoming the fourth head coach since 1972.

All the adversities Sitake went through led to this moment. Now, he is the one achieving things never done before, like becoming the first Tongan head coach and leading BYU to double-digit wins in three of its past five seasons.

"I will echo the encouragement of our President, C. Shane Reese that God loves underdogs and lets respond to the promptings of the Spirit and 'be the miracle someone else needs,'" Sitake said in conclusion. "It may be something very simple and a small detail to you but a milestone for another."

And with that final statement, Sitake's talk was over.

Sitake's time speaking may have been brief, but his message and belief in Christ was crystal clear.

So while life will return to normal with Sitake going back to spring training, all of BYU will hold onto the words he said.