While it may be his rival coach down south who has made noise for doing
firesides weekly before football games, University of Utah head
football coach Kyle Whittingham has plenty of experience in talking
about his beliefs as well.
Whittingham and a pair of Ute players took advantage of such an
opportunity Sunday night as they spoke to a gathering of Salt Lake Utah
Region youths and leaders.
"I am always excited to get up and talk about how I can relate
things from my team into teaching experiences to help guide my fellow
brethren and sisters," Whittingham told the congregation.
The fireside was put together for the LDS Church sports program
in the region, so it was only fitting that the major theme to the
players' and coach's message was of teamwork and sportsmanship and how
they can be applied into one's LDS beliefs, and how taking and applying
those teachings are the keys for success in everyday life as well as on
the football field
Offensive tackle Tony Bergstrom, who played locally at Skyline
High School and recently returned from serving in the Sacramento
California Mission, stressed the importance of attitude and how it is a
reflection of faith. To be successful requires an attitude, or a faith
that one can succeed.
Tight end Brad Clifford, who served in the Guadalajara Mexico
Mission and played at Olympus High School, talked about the teachings
of New Testament apostle Paul in his letter to the Corinthians about a
diversity of gifts. Each member of a team has certain talents to
contribute, like blocking, or running the ball, or passing or catching,
and he related it to being the same in a stake, ward, quorum or class.
Whittingham, after he was through with the customary banter about
his rivals from BYU — the best of which came from Doctrine and
Covenants Section 133 verse 48, which starts, "And the Lord shall be
red in his apparel" — talked about how much influence his team has on
him. He mentioned how exactly 50 percent of his football team last
season was LDS, and the missionary opportunities that presented, and
that 47 returned missionaries will be part of his squad this fall.
The fourth-year head coach taught about steps to success, how
setting goals is important and, perhaps even more importantly, to never
become discouraged along the way.
"We had a game at the beginning of a season a couple of years ago
against Texas A&M where right at the end of the game we had a
chance to tie," Whittingham said. "Our quarterback, Brett Elliot, took
it and looked for someone to pass to, but he couldn't find anyone and
tried to run it in. He got hit just short of the goal line and, boom,
broke his wrist on the play. But the team didn't get down. Instead, we
had a quarterback on the sideline ready to step in. Alex Smith was his
name, and he went on to go 22-1 the rest of his starts."
He closed by bearing testimony that only through the gospel's
principles can one truly find both happiness and success, and that
although he has had success through his profession of coaching, his
greatest accomplishments have involved things such as his son Tyler
serving a mission to Brazil and watching his kids grow and prosper.