08/26/2026
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🏈 PANTHER COACH SPOTLIGHT | DOMANIC HEATER
This week, we're putting the spotlight on Domanic Heater, Head Coach of Elwood Junior High Football.
For Coach Heater, coaching is about much more than football. It's about passing along the virtues, values, and lessons that athletics can teach young people.
🔵 WHAT MADE YOU WANT TO COACH?
“My love for football and sports was the biggest reason. Athletics teach students so many virtues and values that stay with them, and I wanted to share those.”
Coach Heater also credits his experience at Indiana Wesleyan University—and particularly Coach Buzz—with helping him discover that coaching was the path he wanted to pursue.
“As an equipment manager, I didn't think there was any chance I could get into coaching, but Buzz let me work with him and gain the confidence I needed to know I was on the right path.”
🔴 WHO ARE YOUR BIGGEST INFLUENCES?
“My biggest influences for coaching are my wife and my community.”
He credits his wife for continuing to support his dream of coaching and the Elwood community, along with family and friends back home, for motivating him to continue growing.
And sometimes, the greatest reminder of why he coaches is a simple one:
“Seeing the fun that the team has is a reminder that all the hard work is worth it.”
🔵 FAVORITE SPORTS TEAM?
The Indianapolis Colts! 🏈
Coach Heater has cheered for the Colts for as long as he can remember, with some of his favorite memories coming from watching games with his family—especially his grandpa. It's a tradition he continues today with friends.
And don't forget the Chicago Blackhawks. 🏒 Coach Heater is also a hockey fan and hopes to see more people discover the sport.
Thank you, Coach Heater, for investing your time, energy, and passion into our student-athletes and for helping build the future of Panther Football.
One Team. One Family. One Panther. 🐾
