For Steven Rackley, career moves have been a matter of fervent prayer. And though it was difficult for the family to leave Utah, the spiritual blessings and dividends have been enormous.

"I can't express what a wonderful opportunity it has been for me and my family," said Rackley, who since 1999 has been the athletic director at Findlay University in Ohio. Since his arrival, the Findlay men's basketball team has compiled the best overall record in Division II and recently won the 2009 NCAA Division II national championship.

The school also has four equestrian national championships, a women's volleyball team that has been to nationals four times and a wrestling team that consistently finishes in the top 10.

But success required a leap of faith, which Rackley, a Mormon, and his family took in 1996. He left the comforts of his home in Taylorsville and his job at Weber State University to become the associate athletic director at Marshall University in West Virginia. "That was about the last state I wanted to go to," Rackley said. "But I wanted the experience."

"I was offered the job on the spot at Marshall. My wife (Amy) and I spent an entire night praying about it and we knew that is where we were supposed to be."
Rackley spent three years at Marshall before going to Findlay, a move that was also preceded by fervent prayer.

Since moving back East, Rackley has had several opportunities to serve in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He has been a counselor in the bishopric in both West Virginia and Findlay, and is currently the executive secretary in his ward. For the past year, he has also been an early-morning seminary teacher.

He said the hardest aspect of the calling is not getting up at 5 a.m., but being "prepared every single day."

Rackley, who served a full-time mission in Ventura, Calif., has come to know how smart, prepared and committed the students are.

"You get to know their lives and what they're involved with," he said. "I need to be ready to answer their questions. ... If they're going to be there, then I'm going to be there."

A few years ago when flooding hit the Midwest, Findlay was hit particularly hard and Rackley saw "a real opportunity for the church to go to work."

As a college athletic director, he knows many of the community leaders and was able to coordinate assistance from the church. More than 150 missionaries came to the area to help with the cleanup.

"The United Way was left with an amazing perception of what the church is and what we can do," Rackley said.

Rackley's son, Nick, is serving a full-time mission in west Texas and is reportedly doing well. Rackley has two daughters, Ali, 16, and Rachael, 12. He gives a lot of credit to his wife for being a "great support." She is serving in the stake Relief Society presidency.

"We love living here," Rackley said. "Leaving Utah was hard but we wouldn't trade this for anything."

Recently, Rackley accepted an award from the NCAA for one of Findlay's female track athletes, Kirby Blackley, who won the long jump and hurdles at the Division II national championships. The award, for women's track athlete of the year, was one of only eight given by the NCAA over all three divisions. Rackley accepted the award in front of 1,800 people at the NCAA convention.

But anyone who thinks an athletic director's job is all fun and games does not understand the responsibilities.

"People assume I just watch games," Rackley said. "But there is a lot more behind the scenes. I am the point man whenever there is a problem."

There are always the pressure and expectations to win, but despite the bumps and bruises, Rackley says he loves his job.

"I get up every morning and am excited to get to work," he said.