Foosball Radio | On the Road | Great Lakes Classic with Saida Krueger

[00:00:01] The following is a presentation of Foosball Radio. Foosball Radio, On the Road.

[00:00:13] And we are live, live and in color, and my voice is hanging in there.

[00:00:17] Hey there, it's Tom Robinson. It's Foosball Radio, On the Road.

[00:00:22] And we are in Michigan. Great Lakes Classic this weekend.

[00:00:25] Having a great time, really enjoying the playing here.

[00:00:28] Kudos to my partners this weekend.

[00:00:31] And, of course, Chris Omeral and Clayton Armitage and I got a chance to play this weekend.

[00:00:38] And guys, thank you so much for playing with me. I had a great time.

[00:00:42] But a real reason to be here for Foosball Radio, On the Road, is to talk to players,

[00:00:47] talk to people that are here attending the tournament.

[00:00:50] And I'm very fortunate, to say the least, to have a chance to talk to a younger player this time.

[00:00:57] Younger in the sense of playing in the junior division.

[00:00:59] But she is the daughter of Teddy Kruger from Wisconsin.

[00:01:04] And we know Teddy here on Foosball Radio and Foos Talk Live.

[00:01:08] He's joined us as a guest.

[00:01:10] He's a great promoter.

[00:01:12] Wisconsin Foosball would not be the same without Teddy Kruger.

[00:01:16] And, of course, we are talking to Seda Kruger.

[00:01:19] So, welcome, Seda.

[00:01:20] Hi.

[00:01:21] How are you?

[00:01:22] Good. How are you?

[00:01:23] So, good, except for my voice is just a little rough.

[00:01:27] But the closer I get to the microphone, the better off I think I'll be.

[00:01:31] But, anyway, so, first of all, is this the first time you've been to Michigan State?

[00:01:35] Yes.

[00:01:36] Really?

[00:01:37] I'm loving it.

[00:01:38] Really?

[00:01:40] So, junior division.

[00:01:41] So, what are your events?

[00:01:44] This weekend I am playing junior doubles and junior singles.

[00:01:49] Junior doubles and singles. Nice.

[00:01:50] And how have you done so far?

[00:01:52] I lost my first junior doubles match.

[00:01:55] We had to play against Brady Wierowski and Sam Dijon.

[00:01:58] Oh, Brady Wierowski.

[00:02:00] No kidding.

[00:02:01] He's tough.

[00:02:02] Yeah, we're tough.

[00:02:02] I wouldn't worry too much.

[00:02:03] I wouldn't worry too much.

[00:02:04] I mean, you do the best you can, right?

[00:02:07] Yeah.

[00:02:08] So, are you a forward or are you a goalie?

[00:02:10] I'm both.

[00:02:11] I actually started as a goalie and I'm starting to branch out as a forward now.

[00:02:16] Nice.

[00:02:16] Very cool.

[00:02:17] Well, I think that, you know, with a dad like Teddy, is he tough on you?

[00:02:23] A little bit.

[00:02:24] He really just likes to help me and give me tips and puts them there if I want them.

[00:02:30] We do the same series on the five bar, three bar.

[00:02:33] Okay.

[00:02:33] So, I definitely have been taking his advice and it's helping my game a lot.

[00:02:36] Nice.

[00:02:37] So, as far as foosball is concerned, when did you realize, hey, I kind of like this game?

[00:02:44] About when I was nine years old.

[00:02:46] I watched the Foosballers movie.

[00:02:48] Yes.

[00:02:48] And I love Cindy Head so much.

[00:02:51] Yep.

[00:02:51] Cindy's awesome.

[00:02:52] I went to Nationals 2021 in Denver, Colorado and I met Cindy Head and she gave me a senior

[00:03:00] women's goals 50 plus.

[00:03:03] Her first place medal and signed it for me.

[00:03:05] No kidding.

[00:03:05] Amazing.

[00:03:06] That's awesome.

[00:03:07] I mean, she really is one of the greats, right?

[00:03:10] No woman in foosball has ever won as much as Cindy.

[00:03:14] So, something to aspire to.

[00:03:18] So, as far as your local scene in Wisconsin, let's talk about what you and your dad, I mean,

[00:03:24] how are things going there?

[00:03:25] Oh, it's going amazing.

[00:03:28] Wisconsin State is in March this year.

[00:03:30] It is the 20th through the 23rd.

[00:03:33] I'm so excited.

[00:03:34] Nice.

[00:03:36] We have locals every Saturday night at the Mad Apple at 730.

[00:03:41] I've heard about the Mad Apple, yeah.

[00:03:42] Play for free.

[00:03:43] It's wonderful.

[00:03:44] I love how when there's the state tournament, you get the bar feeling of foosball.

[00:03:48] So, it's in a bar.

[00:03:49] Right.

[00:03:49] But it's a connected hotel.

[00:03:51] Right.

[00:03:52] Nice.

[00:03:52] Staff are amazing.

[00:03:53] You can order your food while you're watching matches, while you're playing and stuff.

[00:03:57] It's amazing.

[00:03:58] That's fantastic.

[00:03:58] So, as far as Wisconsin foosball and the people you play with normally, who are you learning

[00:04:06] from more, aside from your dad?

[00:04:08] Who are you learning from most?

[00:04:11] Matt Weber helps me a lot.

[00:04:12] Matt Weber.

[00:04:13] He's one of our locals.

[00:04:15] Really, just everybody.

[00:04:17] Even if they don't do the same things as you, even just playing against them helps give you

[00:04:23] experience and stuff.

[00:04:25] You can't help but get better.

[00:04:27] What's your name?

[00:04:27] Octular is one of our locals.

[00:04:29] Octular?

[00:04:29] As we've seen, he's been shooting up and is playing amazing.

[00:04:33] He's something else.

[00:04:35] I mean, he's moving up the ranks himself pretty quickly.

[00:04:38] Rob Balza and Greg Rushing come down sometimes.

[00:04:41] Nice.

[00:04:42] Brett Noyan.

[00:04:43] Wow.

[00:04:43] So, you've got quite a scene.

[00:04:45] And so, how often do you win in that scene?

[00:04:52] Is it once in a while?

[00:04:53] Yeah.

[00:04:54] Yeah.

[00:04:54] Do you guys do a monster DYP?

[00:04:56] What do you do?

[00:04:56] Yes.

[00:04:57] We do a monster DYP and then we start elimination probably around 9.30 to 10.

[00:05:04] Okay.

[00:05:05] But monster DYP is perfect because players like Greg Rushing and Rob Balza have to drive from

[00:05:10] Milwaukee all the way to Appleton.

[00:05:12] Wow.

[00:05:13] And you don't want to be out in two.

[00:05:14] Right.

[00:05:15] Exactly.

[00:05:16] Exactly.

[00:05:17] But you have to drive all the way back.

[00:05:18] And you get to play with everybody.

[00:05:19] Yeah.

[00:05:20] I love it.

[00:05:21] So, who's your favorite player besides Cindy Head?

[00:05:23] Besides Cindy Head?

[00:05:24] Yeah.

[00:05:25] Who's your favorite player?

[00:05:27] My dad.

[00:05:28] Your dad.

[00:05:29] See, I knew you were going to say that.

[00:05:31] Somehow I knew you were going to.

[00:05:33] I mean, you got it, right?

[00:05:35] So, okay.

[00:05:37] When it comes to what your dad does for foosball, what do you think he needs to do better?

[00:05:45] Honestly, I think he's doing such a great job.

[00:05:47] Right now at the moment, it's really hard for him because he had surgery.

[00:05:51] Okay.

[00:05:52] And he shouldn't be eating solid foods for another two months.

[00:05:57] He had problems with his hiatal hernia, acid reflex, and Barrett's esophagus.

[00:06:02] No kidding.

[00:06:03] So, he had surgery.

[00:06:04] He's lost 20 pounds.

[00:06:07] Poor guy.

[00:06:08] Not good.

[00:06:09] Not good.

[00:06:09] He's been in immense pain.

[00:06:10] He's had to go back to the ER twice since his surgery.

[00:06:13] Oh, I'm sorry to hear that.

[00:06:14] We'll give him my regards.

[00:06:15] Yeah.

[00:06:16] He's been doing as much as he can.

[00:06:18] He's been running our locals when he feels good enough to.

[00:06:22] Sure.

[00:06:23] At Wisconsin State this year, he's not going to play any events.

[00:06:26] He's just going to commentate.

[00:06:27] He wants good commentary.

[00:06:29] It's wonderful.

[00:06:30] I love the things that him and Barrett do.

[00:06:32] He really, he levels all of the tables.

[00:06:35] All of the tables at Wisconsin State are all leveled perfectly.

[00:06:38] So, that's one thing that's amazing about Wisconsin State.

[00:06:42] You are guaranteed to have good tables.

[00:06:44] Right.

[00:06:45] Wow.

[00:06:45] That's exciting.

[00:06:47] So, what events when Wisconsin comes up, who are going to be your teammates?

[00:06:54] I'm playing with my mother in women's.

[00:06:56] Your mom.

[00:06:56] I love playing with my family.

[00:06:58] Oh, I forgot to ask about your mom.

[00:07:00] So, she's a good player?

[00:07:01] Yes.

[00:07:01] She loves foosball.

[00:07:03] She helped me get into foosball and stuff.

[00:07:06] Her and my dad have been playing since I was little.

[00:07:09] And my mom played with me in women's my first tournament.

[00:07:13] No kidding.

[00:07:14] No kidding.

[00:07:14] We've been playing as much as we can since.

[00:07:16] We don't like to change it up that often.

[00:07:19] I've never played with a different girl in women's than her yet.

[00:07:23] I mean, at least in women's open.

[00:07:25] Really?

[00:07:25] If there's another women's division that she can't play, then I'll play with someone else.

[00:07:32] Okay.

[00:07:33] Still.

[00:07:34] I love playing with my family.

[00:07:35] No doubt.

[00:07:36] So, are you going to get on the tour stops this year?

[00:07:39] This next year?

[00:07:40] Yes.

[00:07:41] We, if my dad is feeling up to it, he wants to go to a bunch of tournaments because he

[00:07:45] couldn't make it to Worlds this year.

[00:07:47] Right.

[00:07:47] There's a lot of tournaments that he couldn't make it to.

[00:07:50] Yeah.

[00:07:50] Understood.

[00:07:51] He really wants to catch up and come to the tournaments and stuff.

[00:07:54] Well, I hope for your dad's good health and quick recovery.

[00:07:58] Thank you.

[00:07:59] It's tough to go, nope, I'm old.

[00:08:01] We all get stuff.

[00:08:03] And you kind of have to go, well, I'm going to continue to play as long as I can until

[00:08:08] my legs can't work or something breaks.

[00:08:12] What are you going to do?

[00:08:13] But, wow.

[00:08:14] So, this weekend, what else do you have to look forward to?

[00:08:17] I'm playing open mixed with Russell Atana, a pro from Chicago.

[00:08:22] Right.

[00:08:23] He's really fun to play with.

[00:08:24] We've been playing for, oh, maybe three years now in mixed events.

[00:08:29] We played at Worlds this year and last year, the year before.

[00:08:34] Yeah.

[00:08:35] Kind of normal.

[00:08:36] I understand you played with Ron Olsen.

[00:08:39] Yes, in the pro-am.

[00:08:40] I love playing with Ron.

[00:08:41] Yeah, he is.

[00:08:42] And you guys came in, what, second?

[00:08:44] Yes.

[00:08:44] We lost to Brandon Munoz and Vivian Marshy.

[00:08:47] Wow.

[00:08:48] Just to make it to the finals.

[00:08:49] That's so exciting.

[00:08:51] Yes.

[00:08:51] So, what was Ron telling you when it comes to, you know, when you're in that moment,

[00:08:55] you're in the finals.

[00:08:58] And everything's on the line.

[00:09:00] What does he say to you?

[00:09:02] One thing that I think is really cool is we had microphones for Modern Food, so if you

[00:09:07] want to see exactly, you can listen to that.

[00:09:08] But he was really...

[00:09:11] We were both...

[00:09:13] He was telling me how to clear and stuff, how I should defend Brandon.

[00:09:17] Brandon's a quick shooter.

[00:09:18] Right.

[00:09:19] And he just plays fast, so there's guaranteed to be loose balls flying around.

[00:09:23] Yeah.

[00:09:23] That are really hard to pick up and can be sloppy sometimes.

[00:09:27] So you really have to be careful with that.

[00:09:28] You've got to be on target.

[00:09:30] Yeah.

[00:09:30] And so what's your favorite shot?

[00:09:33] My favorite shot?

[00:09:35] Up front, I'm shooting the snake shot.

[00:09:37] From the back, I shoot pole kick.

[00:09:40] Pole kick.

[00:09:40] Nice.

[00:09:42] That's great to hear.

[00:09:43] Pole kick's a...

[00:09:43] That's a tough shot to block because people can't see it coming.

[00:09:47] So you figure when it comes to a pole kick, what's your percentage?

[00:09:54] Would he hit it like 40, 50 percent?

[00:09:57] Yeah.

[00:09:57] Okay.

[00:09:57] I'd say about that.

[00:09:58] That's awesome.

[00:10:00] I've been experimenting with really long pole kicks lately.

[00:10:04] Gotcha.

[00:10:05] It's been going well.

[00:10:07] So as a junior player, like everybody else who plays in foosball, there's someone who

[00:10:14] just gets under our skin and we feel like, I can't, I've got to beat this person.

[00:10:18] I have to beat this person.

[00:10:20] Who would that person be for you?

[00:10:24] I feel like it's not a specific person.

[00:10:28] As a junior, there is a lot of really good juniors.

[00:10:32] Yes.

[00:10:32] And I don't feel like I'm entitled to beat any of them.

[00:10:36] Because when you have players like Sam, Dijon, he's amazing.

[00:10:40] Brady Wairowski, Shayla Loehras, Sherwood Plowski, Luis Plowski.

[00:10:46] They're all amazing.

[00:10:47] Yes.

[00:10:47] Yes.

[00:10:48] Well, I'm sure you hold your own.

[00:10:51] No question about that.

[00:10:53] So when you're in the moment and you're trying to focus, what do you think about it?

[00:10:59] What goes through your mind when you're trying to get into the moment?

[00:11:02] It's really weird with me.

[00:11:03] I just try not to think about it at all.

[00:11:05] Okay.

[00:11:06] I'm actually a singer, so before I go out on stage or something, I literally just ignore

[00:11:11] the fact that I'm about to go on stage.

[00:11:12] Hang on one second.

[00:11:13] We've got to back up for a second here.

[00:11:15] I'm a former radio personality, played a lot of music in my day.

[00:11:19] What kind of music do you like to sing?

[00:11:21] I love listening to country music.

[00:11:24] It's really hard to find good female artists that I can sing along with.

[00:11:28] Okay.

[00:11:28] But I like singing pop.

[00:11:29] Pop.

[00:11:30] Nice.

[00:11:31] Who's your favorite artist right now?

[00:11:32] Morgan Wallen.

[00:11:33] Morgan Wallen.

[00:11:34] I got to go see him in concert, which was really exciting with my mom and my dad.

[00:11:37] Nice.

[00:11:38] Nice.

[00:11:39] Very cool.

[00:11:39] So you think there's a singing career in your future?

[00:11:43] Well, there's always hope, but I'd actually like to be a lawyer when I'm older.

[00:11:48] A lawyer.

[00:11:50] Nice.

[00:11:51] Now, what kind of law do you want to practice?

[00:11:57] Not quite sure yet, actually.

[00:11:58] Okay.

[00:11:58] There's a lot of areas of law, right?

[00:12:00] Definitely, yeah.

[00:12:01] Everything from a state law to, oh, I don't know, criminal law?

[00:12:06] Yeah.

[00:12:06] Yeah.

[00:12:06] What interests you most about the law?

[00:12:12] Just when you have two people kind of just, like, arguing what happened.

[00:12:18] Right.

[00:12:19] It's really hard to know, like, the facts of what happened.

[00:12:22] And looking through papers and stuff and seeing video camera, you can really, like, see what actually happened.

[00:12:31] Right.

[00:12:31] So getting to the truth.

[00:12:33] Yes.

[00:12:33] Very cool.

[00:12:34] I mean, when you think about being a lawyer, you've got to look at every angle, kind of like foosball.

[00:12:40] Definitely.

[00:12:40] That's how I can relate it a bit.

[00:12:42] Yeah.

[00:12:43] And I think, you know, especially with the study of law, it takes a long time to learn the rules, right?

[00:12:49] Definitely.

[00:12:50] Yep.

[00:12:51] So, and, so what school do you want to go to when you're ready?

[00:12:55] Um, UW-Wisconsin, Lawrence University, maybe.

[00:13:01] Okay.

[00:13:01] Lawrence is an art school, so if I did decide to pursue music, I would probably go there.

[00:13:07] Right.

[00:13:08] Right.

[00:13:08] Well, I tell you, to be someone of your age, to know that you want to do law, that's impressive.

[00:13:15] That's very impressive.

[00:13:16] So what's school life like?

[00:13:19] Um, I just transferred to a new school this year.

[00:13:22] Last year I went to Little Chute High School, Middle School, and Intermediate School.

[00:13:27] It's all in one.

[00:13:27] Nice.

[00:13:28] This year I'm going to Kaleidoscope Academy in Appleton.

[00:13:31] Wow.

[00:13:32] It used to be Roosevelt.

[00:13:33] It's an arts academy.

[00:13:35] Nice.

[00:13:35] So you have an arts side?

[00:13:37] Yes.

[00:13:38] Really?

[00:13:39] Um, I play alto saxophone in band.

[00:13:43] Wow.

[00:13:44] Musician too.

[00:13:44] I can pick up on a lot of instruments, so I play a little bit of piano, a little bit of

[00:13:49] guitar, ukulele.

[00:13:50] You're a multi-instrumentalist and a singer too, and a foosball player.

[00:13:54] And you're going to be studying law.

[00:13:56] Uh, wow.

[00:13:58] That's extraordinary.

[00:14:00] So, let's, let's go ten years into the future.

[00:14:03] All right.

[00:14:04] Ten years later, where do you want to be?

[00:14:09] Still playing foosball.

[00:14:10] I will say that.

[00:14:11] Good answer.

[00:14:12] I love foosball so much.

[00:14:14] It's everything.

[00:14:16] Yes.

[00:14:17] Well, it is a family.

[00:14:20] Definitely.

[00:14:20] And you think about, you come to a place like this and you get to meet new people and just,

[00:14:26] you know, see how other players are doing their thing and trying to adjust to their game.

[00:14:30] Uh, my personality, I'd like to say, is really outgoing.

[00:14:33] So, I like to go and meet new players, hear their stories.

[00:14:37] And I always try to talk to new people because there's so much, like top players, there's

[00:14:43] so much that you can learn from them.

[00:14:46] Yes.

[00:14:46] How they got there.

[00:14:48] And it's really interesting, I think.

[00:14:51] Wow.

[00:14:52] I mean, this is, uh, I think for a lot of people that I talk to, especially about foosball,

[00:14:58] they, they think of this as not just a, not just an obsession, not just a sport, but it's a way of life.

[00:15:06] Definitely.

[00:15:07] Right?

[00:15:07] So, we're, uh, we're, we're lucky, we're privileged to be in a place like this and get a chance to meet people.

[00:15:14] But, uh.

[00:15:15] We're all a family.

[00:15:16] Exactly.

[00:15:16] We are a huge family.

[00:15:18] And you can hate somebody on the table for the, for the time of the match.

[00:15:22] But after, they're definitely your friends.

[00:15:25] Sit down and hang out, catch up, and do the, do the things friends do.

[00:15:29] Yes.

[00:15:30] Very cool.

[00:15:31] Oh, speaking of friends, I meant to ask you.

[00:15:33] So, you go to school, you have friends, um, how many of your friends know that you play foosball professionally?

[00:15:40] Um, since I'm at a new school this year, I didn't, I haven't told many people.

[00:15:45] Okay.

[00:15:46] Some of just my new close friends.

[00:15:48] Because last year it was a bit of an issue.

[00:15:50] Okay.

[00:15:51] At my school, some people didn't really agree with the fact that I played foosball.

[00:15:55] Really?

[00:15:55] Yes, people.

[00:15:56] Why did they not agree?

[00:15:59] They just thought that it was strange, and they didn't really like strange things, I guess.

[00:16:04] Okay.

[00:16:05] So, I did definitely struggle with friendship.

[00:16:08] It's not, that's why foosball had meant so much to me.

[00:16:11] These are my people.

[00:16:12] Yes, exactly.

[00:16:14] I mean, is there anybody in your circle that you know that wants to even learn how to play?

[00:16:19] Um, we haven't talked about it that much, but I think there's some people that would definitely be interested.

[00:16:25] Michael Stahl and Aaron Croft, Josh Sarpy are going to work to get a table in my school.

[00:16:32] Excellent.

[00:16:33] Outstanding.

[00:16:34] Yeah, it's a great program at Foosball Clubs USA.

[00:16:37] Thank you.

[00:16:38] There's a ceremony going on here at the moment.

[00:16:42] Open singles finals.

[00:16:42] Open singles finals.

[00:16:44] Yeah, this is going to be exciting.

[00:16:45] Uh, anyway, so, yeah, what Foosball Clubs USA is doing is just spectacular.

[00:16:50] So, have you had a program in your school?

[00:16:53] Um, not yet.

[00:16:53] Uh, we're working on it.

[00:16:56] Okay.

[00:16:56] It's going to take time.

[00:16:58] You know, it makes a difference.

[00:17:00] It makes a difference.

[00:17:02] I was playing foosball when I was 14 or 15 years old, although I had to go to the local pizzeria to play.

[00:17:08] It wasn't in school.

[00:17:09] But if there had been a school program, I would have gone for it huge.

[00:17:13] You know?

[00:17:13] And I think probably a lot better player because of it at this point.

[00:17:18] But, uh, anything you want to, any shout-out you want to give to, uh, to friends or family?

[00:17:24] Anybody you want to talk to?

[00:17:25] Hi, Dad.

[00:17:26] You're good.

[00:17:26] I love you.

[00:17:27] Um, I wish that you were here.

[00:17:30] I wish that you could come to more tournaments, which hopefully you will soon.

[00:17:33] But, yeah.

[00:17:34] Yeah.

[00:17:35] Very cool.

[00:17:36] Well, Seda, it's an absolute pleasure working with you, getting a chance to talk to you,

[00:17:41] and get an idea as to who's behind the great playing on the foosball table.

[00:17:47] And, uh, keep it up.

[00:17:48] You know, keep going.

[00:17:49] Keep moving.

[00:17:50] And, uh, of course, I'm sure your dad will maintain.

[00:17:53] Your dad and your mom will maintain your career.

[00:17:56] But good luck with the law.

[00:17:58] Good luck with school.

[00:18:00] And let's talk again soon.

[00:18:01] Yeah, definitely.

[00:18:02] Come down to Wisconsin State, everybody.

[00:18:04] It should be a good time this year.

[00:18:05] I would love to go, though.

[00:18:06] I would love to go.

[00:18:08] So, we'll see if we can make it happen.

[00:18:10] Perfect.

[00:18:10] All right.

[00:18:11] Seda Kruger, joining us on Foosball Radio On The Road, here at the Great Lakes Classic.

[00:18:17] So much more to come this weekend.

[00:18:19] We're looking forward to that.

[00:18:21] For now, thank you so much for joining us, Seda.

[00:18:24] Thank you.

[00:18:25] This has been a presentation of Foosball Radio, all rights reserved.

[00:18:29] Our sincere thanks to all our Patreon supporters.

[00:18:33] Foosball Radio On The Road.