Photography courtesy Navy Athletics
For the Naval Academy’s Ken Niumatalolo, football and faith consume him. Niumatalolo is a long-time member of the Church of Latter-Day Saints. He is one of the six people featured in the 2014 documentary Meet the Mormons. He has been a Spanish missionary, a counselor, and now serves as stake president of The Church of LDS Annapolis.
It’s no surprise that he cares so much about the spiritual and emotional well-being of his players. “It’s more to me than just football,” Niumatalolo says. “I want them to succeed in life.”
Niumatalolo, a native of Hawaii, is Navy’s all-time winningest head coach, compiling a 105-75 record in 15 seasons. Navy won the Commander-in-Chief trophy three times and made bowl appearances nine times while winning six of them, including the Texas, Liberty, and two Military bowls. Niumatalolo also worked as a Navy assistant football coach for eight years.
We spoke with the 57-year-old Niumatalolo about his faith, whether he will retire as Navy’s coach, and the thrill of watching his two sons play football at Broadneck High School and in college at Utah and Brigham Young.
Photography courtesy Navy Athletics
What are your on-the-field highlights? Beating Army consistently or one of the 11-2 seasons in which Navy won a bowl game?
Definitely beating Army 10 times. It never gets old, and you are always grateful to beat them. Winning the Commander-in-Chief trophy six times. We beat Notre Dame three times, too. Those are definitely highlights.
Are there any other highlights?
With all that said, the highlight for me as a coach here is seeing my players come back. Seeing where they are as men, fathers, and husbands. The lives they live and all the success they’ve had. To me, that’s the highlight of coaching at the Naval Academy.
You are so involved with your players? Is it because faith is a big part of your life?
I think it is. I am an emotional person. I joke with the guys one moment, could cry the next, and then another moment I might yell. Maybe a lot of it is my spiritual background. It’s more than wins and losses for me. I want to see them do well. I hope I can have an impact on their lives. I think that’s part of it. Because of my personal beliefs, it’s just a job. I am grateful for the job. I believe you have a chance to impact people’s lives. Maybe that’s why I am emotionally involved. It’s who I am. I am a simple person. Family-oriented. Faith-oriented.
Does your experience as a counselor and missionary help you get through football’s tough times?
I believe it does. I feel like my faith gives me perspective. I feel it gives me a different lens to look at the players. They are not guys who I teach to block and tackle. They are somebody’s son or brother. I feel like my faith in my relationships gives me a holistic view of my job. This job is very consuming. It’s a ruthless profession. There is a lot of money involved. There is prestige involved and sometimes you get caught up in all that stuff. I think my internal perspective on things keeps my principles in line. Don’t sacrifice winning for things of internal perspective, and things that have long-term consequences.
You coached as an assistant at UNLV and Hawaii. What is the difference between those schools and a service academy?
At those schools, you are just trying to keep players eligible. Not all the schools, but the majority of schools. It’s the bare minimum. You take the courses the players are going to pass. At the Naval Academy, you have a full workload, and you have to go to class every day because they are small. You are not going to a major university, where there are lecture halls and nobody knows if you are in class. We have direct communication with professors. At other places, it’s taboo. We are all trying to help the Midshipmen succeed. A professor may say to me, “Hey coach. So and so hasn’t turned in his assignments and missed a few classes.” At other schools, it’s all about football. Here at the Academy, you are a normal Midshipman. You do what everybody else does. Take the same courses. It’s hard to be a Midshipmen and play Division I. You combine the two. I’m amazed at how they do it.”
Who were the most influential people in your life? Was it a football coach?
I have to say my parents [Simi, Lamala]. In football, I have led our program because of the principles my parents taught me and my spiritual foundation. I have tried to create a culture that is based on family and love. That’s what I have learned from my parents. Schematically, there is stuff I learned from Paul Johnson [Navy’s previous head coach]. Culturally, a part of what I learned is from [former LA Rams coach] John Robinson at UNLV. But my parents had the biggest impact on me.
You have two sons, Va’a and Ali’i, that played at Broadneck High and in college. Is it hard just being a fan when you are a coach?
I loved it. I am grateful Broadneck is so close. Both of my sons played more on special teams in college. It was awesome to watch them play. I saw some of their games on bye weeks. My daughter, Alexcia, plays lacrosse at Maryland. My kids loved playing sports and being part of that is great. At Broadneck games, I would try to sit at the 50-yard line with my wife Barbara, and other parents. It’s hard sitting there. You hear the things that people are probably yelling at me when I coach. Parents say to me, “What do you think of that coach? We shouldn’t have done that? Right?” I say, “I am here to watch the game. Not critique the coach.” I normally stand behind the end zone.
You have considered Arizona and BYU for coaching positions. Would you like to retire at the Academy?
I would. Because of the success of our program, I have had opportunities to look at other schools. The money in college football is very lucrative. The Power 5 schools are very enticing. I have talked to quite a few schools over the years. I have gone, then come back and realize that I have a great job. I love Annapolis. I have raised my family here. This is home. I have been here 25 years. I love what the Naval Academy stands for. I love their mission. I feel it fits with my personality. I feel I give back. I definitely don’t see myself going anywhere.
