Havili never lost sight of his dream

Sione Havili knows he's risking a lot for a childhood dream, but he would rather live with disappointment than regret.

The gamble Havili is making is that he can find his way to the NFL by way of the Big Sky Conference instead of beginning his journey toward a career as a lawyer. The Utah native and current senior at Texas Tech is passing up a year of free law school and a starting defensive position in the Big 12 for a chance to start at running back for Weber State where Ron McBride, a coach he's known since he was a boy, took over the program this winter.

"In life you need to take risks," the former East High student said. "The greater the risk, the greater the reward. I've always wanted to play running back. And if I fail, then at least I won't have any regrets."

And if there is one thing Havili knows, it's regret.

After a high school career in which he led his East High team to two state titles, Havili signed with BYU and headed out into the LDS Church mission field. His life couldn't have been more storybook for a young LDS man.

Then he was abruptly called home to face felony charges that alleged he and several friends fire-bombed a house. A plea agreement sent him to jail for a year and to the University of Utah to play for McBride.

At 19, he went from being a Mormon missionary to a convicted felon in just a few months time. Jail was both rock bottom and the beginning of redemption for the talented athlete, who has gone to great lengths and three states to hang onto his dream of playing football.

"Sometimes it was hard for me, and I wondered why I hang on," he said. "I went straight from a Mormon mission to that type of setting. It was hard. I felt that it was somewhat degrading. . . . Most of the people in there are just like everyone else, but they've just made some mistakes."

Jail wasn't just devastating for Havili. It was a blow to his family, who was stunned and saddened by his actions.

"That was the hardest, when I took him and dropped him off at the jail," said his mom, Elva Havili. "He had to pay the consequences of his wrong. I didn't cry until after I kissed him goodbye."

Once in jail, Havili decided to make changes in his life that would insulate him from making any more mistakes that would deprive him of his freedom and his dream of playing football.

"I decided I had to distance myself from certain pressures," he said. "I started teaching Bible classes. It was helping me more than anyone else. It kept me grounded knowing there was a greater purpose to life."