Episode #162: Paula Krueger

🏀 Can You Love Your Team? Lessons from Paula Krueger at Northern State

What does it really mean to love your team as a coach?

In this episode of the Significant Coaching Podcast, Matt Rogers sits down with Paula Krueger, Head Women’s Basketball Coach at Northern State University, for a real and reflective conversation on coaching, growth, and perspective.

A question Paula was once asked in an interview—“Can you love your team?”—has stayed with her throughout her career and continues to shape how she leads today.

This conversation dives into:

• How that question became a foundation of her coaching philosophy
• Why coaches can’t build their identity solely around the game
• The importance of seeing a coach’s full body of work, not just one season
• Lessons learned from stepping away—and coming back better
• How she approaches player development through staff, detail, and trust
• The role of mental performance and simple tools to help athletes reset during games

Paula also shares powerful moments from her journey—like the advice that helped her leave a team she loved: “Don’t ever take or stay for a roster.”

This is a conversation about more than basketball. It’s about identity, relationships, and becoming a better coach by becoming a more complete person.

👉 Learn more about Paula Krueger: https://nsuwolves.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/coaches/paula-krueger/1598

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📚 Books & Recruit’s Journals by Matt Rogers

Significant Recruiting: The Playbook for Prospective College Athletes
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Recruit’s Journal Series (Sport-Specific Editions):

⚽ Soccer Recruit’s Journal
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🏐 Volleyball Recruit’s Journal
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🏀 Basketball Recruit’s Journal
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⚾ Baseball Recruit’s Journal
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