Column: Edison’s Garrett White credits parents, persistence as path leads to Yale

As a baby, Garrett White sat in his bed listening to his mother read his favorite bedtime story, “Goodnight Moon.”

Goodnight cow jumping over the moon.

Goodnight light.

And the red balloon.

Goodnight bears.

Goodnight chairs.

Goodnight kittens.

And goodnight mittens.

He heard the phrases so often he memorized the lines. Growing up, there was Mozart and Bach on his mother’s car radio. And White took piano lessons from ages 5 to 12. There was basketball, touch football, volleyball and soccer.

His mother, Lytie, and father, Dave, the football coach at Huntington Beach Edison, were determined to expose him to different worlds academically and athletically and provide him the opportunity to decide his future.

“You want your child to have choices,” Lytie said.

White, a three-sport standout with a 4.0 grade-point average at Edison, announced in July he had committed to Yale. His journey could be entitled “The Making of an Ivy Leaguer.”

He was never the boy genius receiving A’s because of something unique wired in his brain. On the contrary, he needed to outwork his peers, studying longer and seeking tutoring to move past subject matters that were obstacles. Similarly in sports, he wasn’t the fastest or most athletic, but through unyielding persistence and nonstop listening and training, he found ways to succeed where others failed.

“There were a lot of instances I had to sacrifice when I could have gone out with my friends but had a big test the next day or I had a paper to write,” he said. “I kept in the back of my mind I had a goal that was bigger, and I knew it would pay off one day.”

He credits his parents for being reliable role models and passionate advocates. His mother created a successful hairdresser business. His father has been the football coach at Edison for 30 years. He coached his two oldest sons from his first wife, Matt and Hunter, and handed over ball-boy duties to Garrett when he was 8.

“I’ve been telling our players for 30 years, when you get bad grades, you limit your options,” the elder White said.

Garrett, who has grown into a 6-foot-3, 200-pound receiver, heard that message over and over and responded with steady doses of A’s on his report card.

“My father has always been a big influence on me, and I’ve seen how disciplined he is in his own life,” White said. “He always does the right thing. He’s a real hard worker and preaches to his players every day about core values and how academics is the most important thing.”

Teenage boys don’t always have a lot in common with their fathers, but almost every school day over the last three years, the Whites have driven together to and from Edison. On the morning trips, little is said. They usually listen to the “Dan Patrick Show” on the radio. The evening drive is when news is made, discussions on football take place and the realization of a special relationship unfolds, a son actually interested in hearing a father’s observations and a father giving his son free rein to sound off.

“It’s been really special, not only being able to ride in and out with him but have him as a coach,” Garrett said. “We’ve definitely had some tough losses driving home. It’s nice being able to connect and decompress after a tough loss or celebrate and focus on some of the great things we did after a win. One of the things about him being both a parent and coach is that he doesn’t really get that moment to enjoy whenever I make a great play because he’s in coaching mode. He’s still worried about the next play. Those drives give us a chance to connect.”

It was during one of those car rides this summer that Yale’s football coach called White and gave him the news the coach wanted him to come to Yale. It’s fortunate his proud father was able to maintain his composure and not drive off the road.¿As for his mother, hearing the news about Yale was vindication that reading every night for 30 minutes to her young son long ago might have had a positive effect.

“I’m totally proud of him,” his mother said. “I’m over the moon.”

eric.sondheimer@latimes.com

Twitter: LATSondheimer