Honored as National Coach of the Year in 1996 and 1999, retired BYU–Hawaii women’s volleyball coach, Wilfred Navalta, led the team to 10 national titles, four consecutive national championships and helped produce multiple All-American athletes. Describing his years coaching in Laie as a blessing, Navalta said he was able to share the gospel with many throughout his coaching years.
Spreading the gospel through volleyball
Navalta, a BYUH alumnus from the Big Island, coached both the men’s and women’s volleyball teams at BYUH from 1983 to 2012. Navalta said he first came to BYUH on a basketball scholarship in 1963 where he played volleyball and basketball for three seasons before transferring to BYU in Provo to finish his undergraduate and master’s degrees.
Navalta said he then taught and coached in Arizona for three years before returning to Provo in 1978 to receive his doctorate. In 1983, Navalta said he returned to BYUH where he taught exercise science and coached the men’s volleyball team from 1983 to 1985 and then the women’s volleyball team from 1985 to 2012.
He explained, “I took over the women’s volleyball team after Jay Akoi. He started a good foundation for the women’s program and we started to be successful. We were fortunate to win and we won 10 national titles.
“Volleyball left a legacy of positive influence for BYUH, Hawaii and the Church,” Navalta stated. He said BYUH hosted the Chinese Olympic team on campus for the World Cup in 1996. “We took care of them and everything they needed, but the interesting part of it was I gave the Book of Mormon to the head coach of the Chinese Olympic team,” he said.
Coach Navalta stated he gave away four additional copies of the Book of Mormon the next day to the other coaches. “We developed a good relationship with them, and they invited us to go on a tour of China. They hosted us and took care of us. It was a beautiful experience,” Navalta shared.
“That’s what volleyball and sports did, we had good relations. We took care of them, and they took care of us when we went to China. … We had some really good, special experiences with the players,” he said.
“One reason why sports were so important [at BYUH] was we started to spread the gospel to so many non-members. When I recruited players from all over the world, members and nonmembers came and embraced the gospel teachings,” Navalta stated.
Navalta said some of his nonmember players joined the Church and found their eternal companions. “We brought many nonmembers from different parts of the world and when they returned to their own countries, they started to spread the gospel. Even though not all the players joined the Church, they shared with me how they felt at BYUH and brought a copy of the Book of Mormon with them,” he shared.
“As a coach, I felt very strongly that I should focus on the spiritual aspects of my players. I came up with a statement for myself and for my team and that is: supreme effort in spiritual things influences infinite success,” Navalta said.
As coach, Navalta said he would remind his team to respect and live the honor code, focus on their education and focus on volleyball last. “The three priorities were embroidered on their uniform and whenever they saw them, they were reminded of how they should act as members of the team,” he said.
Navalta stated their motto helped him and his players stay focused on the prophecy David O. Mckay had for the school. “Laie was a place of enlightenment for me. It helped me strengthen my testimony and prepared me to be the best I can. Sports are a way I can help others feel it too.”
Today, Coach Navalta is retired and living with his wife on the Big Island. He said, “It was a blessing to be able to live in Laie with my family and be close to the temple. I was truly blessed to spread the gospel to so many people during my coaching years.”
Uniting local and global communities
BYUH alumna, KeAnuenue Nikora, formerly Nue Chang from Laie, played under Coach Navalta for three years, starting in 1994. She said, “At the time, BYUH was an NAIA division school. There were not as many regulations in regards to recruiting and giving scholarships as there were when BYUH transitioned to become an NCAA school.”
If they made the volleyball team, Nikora said, Coach Navalta would make sure everyone received a scholarship. “As a walk-on freshman, I was so very happy to receive some money to help pay for my books and housing. I enjoyed the sport, my coaches and especially my teammates,” said Nikora.
“When I played, we were fortunate to make connections with several international teams. We played against a university from Japan. We also had the honor to have the Brazilian women’s national team on campus and use our facilities as they prepared for
a tournament.”
She stated they had the opportunity to host the Chinese women’s national volleyball team as well. “They stayed on campus in the dorms. We practiced together and had team activities together, including spending a day at PCC. It was a neat bonding experience for both teams. The Chinese team was impressed by their experience on campus and they extended an invitation for our team to go to China where they hosted us,” Nikora said.
“My teammates came from all over the world. I played with girls from Brazil, Serbia, different parts of the mainland, as well as a handful from Hawaii. Under the direction of Coach Navalta and staff, our Seasider team was able to win four consecutive national championships as well as produce many All-American athletes,” Nikora said.“Sports are an important part of the history of BYUH because they were one of the few things that helped unite the school and community,” she said.
During her time as a player, Nikora said Navalta was both her stake president and a NAIA Hall of Fame Inductee in the coach category. His assistants were Jay Akoi and Mike Apo.
As a 10-year-old girl, she had wonderful memories of going to the CAC weekly to watch volleyball and basketball games with her friends and family, Nikora shared. “The CAC was always full and the crowd was noisy. Community members and students came together weekly to cheer together for the Seasiders,” she said.
Blessed to be a Seasider
Nikora expressed gratitude for the opportunity she had to be a Seasider and a member of the BYUH women’s volleyball team. She said, “I reflect on that time with such love, gratitude and happiness. I am grateful for the influence the gospel had on our team and especially for the righteous priesthood holders who led our team. They instilled the values of obedience, discipline and hard work. Those values are what made us successful on and off the court.”
Becky Laubach Brown, a BYUH alumna from Waianae who also played under Coach Navalta in 1994, said, “Volleyball was the best back then. Many students, community and faculty came to every game.
“We had a great support system from the University. It was an unforgettable experience to be a part of BYU–Hawaii volleyball. Coach Wilfred Navalta was a phenomenal coach,” she said.
Brown stated sports helped her learn to work with others who were different from her. “I learned that I was better with my team than by myself. I learned to work hard in class and on the court,” she said.
“Being a part of the BYU–Hawaii volleyball team was a life changing experience for me. It prepared me to become a missionary and gave me experiences I would have not had otherwise. I will always be grateful for the sports programs we had at BYU–Hawaii,” Brown said.