What happens when personal tragedy reshapes your entire approach to leadership? Matt Binkerd, Athletic Director at Warsaw Community High School, opens up about the midnight phone call that changed everything—his 20-year-old nephew had died at a college party. This devastating loss forced Matt to confront how sports were pushing faith to the margins of his family's life.From the crucible of grief emerged a transformed vision: helping young athletes see sports not just as competition, but as a platform for spiritual growth. "It's not about what you do," Matt explains, "but who you're becoming in Christ through your participation in sports." This perspective shift completely transformed his approach to athletic leadership.Matt's journey from Oregon to Indiana unfolds through a series of remarkable "divine appointments"—his children attending Midwest Christian colleges, his family's house selling unexpectedly in two days, and a last-minute job interview that almost didn't happen because of a flight schedule. Each seemingly random event formed part of a larger purpose that Matt only recognized in retrospect.Now at Warsaw Community High School, Matt has created the Fellowship of Shepherd Athletes, a student-led program where young people apply biblical principles to their athletic experiences. His book, "Maintain the Heart of a Shepherd Coach," guides others in this philosophy while respecting the separation of church and state in public education.For anyone wrestling with personal tragedy or seeking deeper purpose in leadership, Matt's story offers profound hope. The crucible moments that refine us—though painful—often reveal our truest calling and help us emerge as "Leaders On Fire" with renewed clarity and mission.Leaders on Firewww.leadersonfire.com

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