***”Rivals on the Field, Partners on the Green: Utah and BYU Coaches Tee Off for Kidney Patients”***
The late spring sun cast long shadows over the lush fairways of Thanksgiving Point Golf Club, nestled in the heart of Lehi, Utah. It wasn’t just another charity golf tournament. This was the first time in over a decade that the head coaches of the University of Utah and Brigham Young University — Kyle Whittingham and Kalani Sitake — stood side by side, not as rivals, but as allies, united by a common cause: raising funds for Utah’s growing population of kidney disease patients.
The event, named “Teed Up for Life,” was the brainchild of former BYU linebacker Matt Warner, whose father had undergone a life-saving kidney transplant just the year before. Warner had reached out to both programs with a bold vision: bring the state’s football powerhouses together for something bigger than the game.
To everyone’s surprise, both coaches agreed immediately.
“I’ve competed against Kalani for years,” Whittingham said, adjusting his visor before his first swing. “But when it comes to helping Utahns who are literally fighting for their lives every day, that’s a no-brainer. Rivalry takes a back seat.”
The tournament featured 18 teams of four, each led by a prominent local figure — from former NFL stars to tech CEOs. But it was Whittingham and Sitake who stole the show, laughing, playfully trash-talking, and sharing stories from seasons past.
“He still hits like a defensive lineman,” Sitake joked after Whittingham’s booming drive nearly reached the green on hole 3.
Organizers noted over 600 attendees, with ticket sales, donations, and silent auction bids bringing in an estimated $275,000 — all earmarked for the Utah Kidney Foundation. The funds will support dialysis clinics in rural parts of the state and help lower-income families access treatment and transplant evaluations.
Throughout the day, patients shared emotional stories on the course’s PA system. One was Maria Gomez, a 34-year-old mother of two from Price, Utah, who had just received her transplant in March. Her voice cracked with emotion as she said, “I’ve waited six years for a match. I wouldn’t be standing here today if not for events like this that bring awareness and help.”
By the 18th hole, Sitake and Whittingham, who had been paired with kidney surgeon Dr. Aidan Liu and transplant survivor Jessie Caldwell, were tied for second place. But for them, the score was irrelevant.
“What matters,” Sitake said in the closing ceremony, “is that we came together. As teams, as coaches, as Utahns. We compete hard on Saturdays, but off the field, we’re one team when it comes to saving lives.”
Plans are already in motion to make the tournament an annual event, with whispers of involving Utah State’s coaching staff next year. But for now, the sight of red and blue jerseys mingling under a golden sunset — with golf bags slung over shoulders and smiles wide — told the real story.
In Utah, even the fiercest rivals can share a course… especially when the stakes are this human.
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