Krueger retires as Belton baseball head coach

June 5, 2025

By Clay Whittington

Belton Journal

Mark Krueger’s career is complete.

For more than three decades, he dedicated himself to Belton and all its students, serving in multiple capacities, including teacher, administrator and coach.

While Krueger assumed several roles during his career, little can rival his years overseeing the Tigers on the diamond, where his love for baseball was groomed by his father at an early age.

The passion never faded.

Following more than 30 years at Belton ISD, however, highlighted by a successful nine-season stint as Tigers head coach, Krueger has decided to depart into retirement, and while his accomplishments are extensive, he chooses to define his career by more than victories, playoff runs or trophies.

“I have been very blessed to have been an educator and coach for the last 33 years,” Krueger said. “I am very thankful for every coach I have worked with during this time, but more importantly, the players.

“Not only have they been successful in their careers after baseball, but they have become great husbands and fathers.”

Despite taking extreme pride in his role to help groom and mold countless boys into men on the field, Krueger has plenty of postgame celebrations to reflect on as well.

After playing for his father at Taylor, Krueger was a member of Mary Hardin-Baylor’s 1992 team responsible for finishing second at the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics World Series.

Then, he embarked on a 22-year stint as Belton’s assistant coach, and along the way, he was involved in one of the school’s most memorable moments as the Tigers emerged from the 1994 season as the Class 4A state champion.

In 2017, Krueger was named the team’s head coach, and one year later, as a fourth seed, Belton rallied from a series-opening loss to upset district champion Cedar Hill in three games. The Tigers would be swept out of the playoffs by Flower Mound Marcus in the ensuing round, but it did not matter.

“Our team never looked at the seeding or records,” Krueger said. “They felt they could play with anyone. After losing, a college coach sent me a text saying, ‘I could tell that this loss was particularly difficult to swallow for this team, and with this generation of entitlement, I have to tell you, it’s refreshing to see. Your team played with class, unlike many other teams I have seen this year, and your team played the game the way it was meant to be played.’

“That text basically summed it up about our team.”

Following nine consecutive postseason appearances, though, Krueger’s career is complete with Nick Kozole recently being named as his successor as head coach.

Now, a new era begins at Belton with Krueger watching from the bleachers for the first time in recent history, and while it will be an unfamiliar viewpoint for the longtime coach, he already knows what he will see.

“The future of baseball in Belton continues to be promising with both high schools continuing to have successful seasons,” Krueger said. “I am excited to be able to sit back and watch the continued development and success of baseball in the area.”