BYU soccer: Sitake’s affect performs massive in securing prime defensive position recruit’s dedication

PROVO — BYU coach Kalani Sitake’s strengths as a recruiter are apparent to anybody who has engaged with him for even a small period of time.

The Cougars head coach comes throughout as good-natured, , clear, however maybe most significantly real throughout his social interactions, which has confirmed an incredible asset in recruiting.

All of this grew to become obvious to BYU’s newest defensive position commit Kelepi Vete throughout his go to to BYU and stands as a main issue of his acknowledged intent to signal with the Cougars as a part of the 2025 recruiting class. Add in Sitake’s shared Tongan heritage and Christian religion, and Vete’s connection to BYU grew even stronger upon his preliminary go to again in 2023.

“As an individual — being believers in Christ — that is one factor that connects me to them in a manner I can develop higher than being related with (different) coaches,” Vete stated. “Kalani (Sitake) is aware of what it is prefer to be a younger Tongan child, particularly rising up in a household with numerous siblings in a single mother or father family. He understood and related with me.”

Vete is a 6-foot-5, 260 pound three-star prospect from Oakland, California. BYU first reached out to him in January 2022 when then Cougars offensive line coach Darrell Funk started the recruiting course of, together with BYU linebackers coach Justin Ena.

Whereas the curiosity was there initially, Vete acknowledged that it actually started to choose up following BYU’s hiring of Sione Po’uha as its defensive position coach in December 2022.

All the contact culminated into Vete taking a go to to BYU in the course of the summer season of 2023, the place he met Sitake for the primary time, but additionally the remainder of the Cougars’ teaching workers — all of whom made a powerful impression on him.

“I am shut with all of the coaches,” Vete stated. “They’re nice folks and I like them a lot.”

Whereas Vete did not decide to BYU formally for a number of months after, pledging to the Cougars was all the time a powerful chance following his preliminary go to to the campus. Certain, he claimed different gives from the likes of Arizona, Arizona State, Stanford and Baylor, amongst others, however felt that none of them supplied every little thing that BYU did.

“I knew routinely after I visited in the summertime of 2023 that it was the place for me; it match,” Vete stated. “I discovered that the coaches had been serving to me perceive the sport extra, as a result of I used to be type of new to the sport. … So that they’ve helped me achieve numerous information on the sphere.”

Comparatively new

Vete started his athletic endeavors enjoying each basketball and rugby, earlier than turning to give attention to soccer initially of his highschool profession. He is performed at a number of completely different positions alongside the offensive and defensive fronts, however is taken into account a defensive sort out prospect by the Cougars teaching workers.

Coaches, together with Vete himself, consider that his potential has solely begun to be realized as he works to enhance his kind significantly for his closing prep season.

“You are going to see extra sacks,” Vete stated of the progressions he hopes to make throughout his senior season. “My sophomore 12 months … I wasn’t capable of showcase all my defensive position abilities. I’ve much more run-stopping approach, for certain, after which run stops and tackles for losses — something to assist myself make the play or to assist others make performs.”

Vete understands that weighing in at simply 260 probably will not reduce it on the collegiate degree, and goals to extend his power, and subsequent weight considerably earlier than arriving in Provo.

“My purpose, general, is to weigh in at 285 kilos,” Vete stated. “Proper now I am about 262, so I am slowly getting there. I additionally wish to increase my 40 (yard sprint) time to 4.8. I simply wish to get larger and sooner.”

Religion and household primarily based

Vete comes from a powerful spiritual background, which has aided him tremendously in avoiding the pitfalls that too typically encircle youth rising up within the Oakland space. Whereas not a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Vete has acquired like-minded beliefs that he feels makes him an incredible match for BYU’s distinctive tradition.

As is the case with lots of people in and round BYU’s surroundings, Vete’s household is a chief focus.

“I largely simply go to church and maintain my siblings,” Vete stated when requested about how he spends his free time. “I am going to a Tongan Pentecostal Church, and I am the drummer in my church, and I am additionally a part of a youth group. … My predominant purpose earlier than I am going up there to BYU is that I spend sufficient time with (my siblings) and simply be one of the best older brother and father-figure that I understand how. I wish to educate them issues, but additionally to have enjoyable with them.”

Vete notes that arduous work is and would be the key to any success he is had or could have sooner or later, placing him in keeping with others who’ve overcome Oakland’s robust surroundings.

“There’s so many youngsters who work arduous as a result of they know that soccer and training is all they bought,” Vete stated. “As a result of apart from that, there’s nothing. There’s violence, there’s tragedy and there is not any house for them typically. And so that is the one manner they know that they will get out of this example.”

Conserving Vete centered by all of his pursuits is his mom, Lusia Finauhu’ia

“She’s the strongest particular person in my life,” Vete stated. “She’s been by thick and skinny. She knew learn how to stand sturdy, maintain us, and present me learn how to persevere and undergo all arduous issues. She’s simply the strongest particular person I do know.”

Vete is happy for each the soccer and tutorial alternatives at BYU the place he appears to be like to pursue a comparatively robust diploma.

“I like math. I like to make the most of numbers and I positively look ahead to (majoring) in one thing like mechanical engineering,” Vete stated. “I similar to among the challenges that faculty will give me.”

Vete’s go to to BYU will happen this coming June, a date which he has circled on his calendar — not just for himself, however for somebody that will probably be accompanying him on the journey. Vete has a twin brother, Siosiua Vete, who’s at present dedicated to signal with Stanford — though Kelepi Vete goals to assist sway him away from that dedication.

Siosiua Vete is a 6-foot-6, 280 pound offensive sort out prospect who additionally claims gives from BYU, Arizona, Arizona State, and Baylor amongst others.

“I have been ready for this for a very long time. I have been counting down the months,” Kelepi Vete stated of his upcoming BYU go to.

Almost about his personal dedication to BYU, Vete is grateful to have the recruiting course of in his rearview mirror with all of his gaze towards the alternatives forward.

“I really feel stress free,” Vete stated. “It is a dedication I made some time again, however have not introduced it till now. I am glad to be a part of the BYU household simply due to how particular it’s each on and off the sphere. I really feel it is a spot the place I can develop as each an individual and as a participant, and people are two issues I worth very a lot.”

Criddle’s conclusion

Within the trendy period, the explanation why many collegiate recruits select their respective vacation spot rests on two main components.

• How a lot enjoying time will I get?
• How a lot NIL cash will I obtain?

Sitake in his conversations with recruits not often, if ever, broached these two subjects.

Below Sitake, the soccer program’s imaginative and prescient has been to offer an expertise primarily based in religion, household, and excessive degree lecturers mixed with a purpose of being able to enjoying on the highest degree of collegiate soccer.

The actual fact is, in case your main purpose is restricted to the pursuit of an athletic expertise, then BYU shouldn’t be the proper place for you.

There may be one quote that signifies to me that Vete is aligned with BYU’s distinctive tradition and alternatives: “As an individual — being believers in Christ — that is one factor that connects me to them in a manner I can develop higher than being related with (different) coaches.”

Sitake’s core frequent perception in Christ and comparable upbringing had been important items in constructing a relationship of belief with Kelepi.

Having been recruited and coached personally by Sitake myself whereas at Jap Arizona Junior Faculty, I can let you know first hand that he embodies by phrase and motion the christian values that grew to become obvious to Vete in the course of the recruiting course of.

If you come to BYU, it needs to be extra than simply about eager to play soccer, and Vete assuredly desires greater than only a soccer expertise at his subsequent vacation spot; he desires a holistic expertise centered in religion, household, and training, whereas additionally enjoying soccer on the highest of ranges.

It is why I consider he is prone to see numerous success at BYU, each on and off the sphere of play.