Dr. Troy Urdahl

Dr. Troy Urdahl is the Director of Athletics, Activities, and Facilities for the St. Anthony-New Brighton (Minn.) School District, a role he has held since 2005. Under his leadership, the district has experienced a 37.5% increase in athletic participation and expanded program offerings by 40%.

A nationally recognized advocate for education-based athletics, Dr. Urdahl is the author of the award-winning book Chasing Influence: Transformational Coaching to Build Champions for Life, which earned a Gold Medal in the 2024 Readers’ Favorite International Book Awards. His doctoral research focused on the experiences of high school athletes, exploring what makes sports meaningful and transformative for young people.

Dr. Urdahl has served in a number of important leadership roles, including President of the Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) Board of Directors and the Minnesota State High School Coaches Association. As a faculty member for the MSHSL Head Coaches Course, he has trained thousands of coaches and contributed to curriculum development. His innovative work in purpose-based coaching evaluations, professional learning, and character education has been widely embraced by schools nationwide.

A Certified Master Athletic Administrator (CMAA), Dr. Urdahl is an instructor of athletic administrators’ Leadership Training Courses and regularly presents on best practices in athletic administration at state, national, and international conferences. He is a mentor for the NIAAA Executive Leadership cohort, teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in coaching, and sports management.

As head baseball coach at St. Anthony Village High School, Dr. Urdahl has led multiple state championship teams and earned State Coach of the Year honors twice. He has been inducted into both the Minnesota State High School Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame and the Litchfield Baseball Association Hall of Fame. In 2022, under his leadership, St. Anthony Village High School became just the second Minnesota school to earn the NIAAA Quality Program Award.

Dr. Urdahl’s work is grounded in the belief that high school activities can transform lives and build a better world. He and his wife, Rebecca, a former high school gymnastics coach, are the proud parents of four children: Violet, Lincoln, Calvin, and Mason.