Notre Dame LB Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa Embracing Adversity and New Perspectives
It’s been a busy offseason for Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa.
The junior linebacker has spent much of the last eight months recovering from an ACL injury suffered in November and he’s well ahead of schedule.
Viliamu-Asa has not only returned to the practice field but is also participating in live team drills, something that might not have been a given just a few weeks ago.
“I knew I was going to be able to do some stuff coming off the summer,” Viliamu-Asa stated. “Not everything, of course, but work my way up to get more reps in team situations and live situations. The athletic training staff has taken care of me.”
This is the second ACL injury the California native has suffered in his career, so while the process has been frustrating, Viliamu-Asa knew what he was getting into and how to make himself better while he was away from the field.
“It's definitely a difficult process as far as breaking the scar tissue and then learning how to trust it again with movements and then mentally just staying engaged,” explained Viliamu-Asa. “Even though you can't practice on the field, you got to be able to still prepare like you were the starter and be engaged in every meeting, every practice and still build off mental reps.”
Viliamu-Asa also understood he wasn’t alone.
There are countless players who have suffered multiple ACL injuries and gone on to enjoy long careers, giving him plenty of motivation throughout the rehab process.
“Going through the second time, I have a lot of confidence,” Viliamu-Asa said. “A lot more confidence knowing that I've done it once. There's a lot of examples of guys in the NFL in the past who've overcome it even three times. So knowing that it's possible, I got the utmost confidence that I'm going to.”
The injury also gave Viliamu-Asa an opportunity to step back and reflect on why he chose Notre Dame as a recruit in the first place.
“One thing that stands out is it just reinforces the fact that football is not going to last forever,” explained Viliamu-Asa. “And to appreciate being at a place like Notre Dame that allows me to start thinking about what I want to do outside of football. Also, I've got to give it everything I've got every play because it might be my last.”
With a greater focus on life beyond football, Viliamu-Asa took two weeks in May to travel to Italy as part of Notre Dame’s study abroad program.
“That was a really great experience,” Viliamu-Asa explained. “That was something that a lot of the past players have done and said that was an amazing trip that we should go on.
“It was great to go embrace a culture different than my own and see how other people live, kind of expand what I know to be able to understand and appreciate cultures different than mine.”
Milan served as the home base for the trip, but the group also traveled to Lake Como, Rome and Florence.
For Viliamu-Asa, the highlight was simply experiencing something new.
“They take pride in their food and how they serve it,” he said. “Whenever we would go out to eat, the waiters and waitresses were very welcoming and they drink a lot of alcohol over there.”
Now, Viliamu-Asa is ready to turn his attention toward the 2026 season and, hopefully, welcome another trophy to Notre Dame’s collection.
As someone who has been in the spotlight since he was a freshman in high school, Viliamu-Asa believes his time at St. John Bosco prepared him for the expectations that come with playing at Notre Dame.
“I think just knowing how to silence and filter the noise that's surrounding whatever's going on,” Viliamu-Asa said of how his time at St. John Bosco prepared him for Notre Dame. “Whether it's a big game or you've got big players on your team, just silence the noise and focus on what it takes to be successful.”
It would be easy for Viliamu-Asa’s focus to be on getting back on the field for Notre Dame’s season opener against Wisconsin.
Instead, he’s focused on what’s directly in front of him.
“That's kind of in the future,” said Viliamu-Asa. “I'm worried about having a great fall camp. I'm worried about having a great practice tomorrow.”
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