How Coach Nicole Yazzie Balances Motherhood, Marriage & D1 Coaching — And Wins

Nicole's story begins like many hoops dreams do — a ball, a driveway, and a passion that didn’t ask for permission.She was seven, hooping in junior leagues and refusing to back down from anybody — boy, girl, didn't matter.By college?✅ 4-time All-Frontier Conference pick✅ NAIA All-American✅ All-time leader in threes and wins at Westminster CollegeShe didn't just hoop — she studied the game, lived the game, and built a foundation as strong mentally as it was physically.“I didn’t know where basketball would take me — I just wanted to be the best version of myself every single year.”Fast-forward — she’s now the Associate Head Coach at Weber State, and let’s keep it all the way real…The Wildcats were down bad when she got there.Bottom of the Big Sky.No momentum.Nobody talking about them.Now?They finished tied for third in the conference — and the arrow is pointing UP. 📈Why the shift?Culture. Accountability. Love. Standard.“You can’t fake care. Players feel everything. Our program is built on love, trust, and doing the work together.”Coach Yazzie coaches hard because she loves hard. She celebrates loudly, corrects firmly, and leads from the front.Nicole’s heritage isn’t just part of her story — it’s her heartbeat.Both parents grew up on a reservation. She is a proud Native woman who carries her people with her every time she steps on the floor.And now, coaching a player from her parents’ reservation?That’s God’s full-circle moment.“I want young Native athletes to see what’s possible. If I can do it, they can too.”Her presence isn’t just powerful — it’s transformational.Coach Yazzie doesn’t just coach a team — she lives the meaning of family.She’s married to her partner and rock, Courtney, and raising three beautiful kids — including newborn twins.She’s doing the 6am bottles, the staff meetings, the scouting reports, the recruiting calls, the late-night game film — and then doing it all again tomorrow.And still she pours into her players like they are her own.“My family is my brand. I coach with love because I live with love.”At Weber State?Her home is an extension of her locker room.Her players have a seat at her dinner table.They feel the love — and play with that same heart.Coach Yazzie is built for a head-coaching chair — and the time is coming.She’s not rushing it.She’s not skipping steps.But she knows the vision.And when the moment arrives?She’ll be ready.“We’re gonna keep climbing. This Weber State team is special. And we’re just getting started.”And when you pull up to Ogden?She’s sending you straight to Slackwater Pizza for that 🔥 hot-honey pepperoni.If there was ever a scout you didn’t want to argue with — it’s Coach Yazzie on food recommendations. 🍕😂Tell us in the comments…What inspired you most about Coach Yazzie’s journey?Drop her favorite emoji combo to show love:😉👅🎧 Now hit play — because this story?It’s emotional. It’s powerful.And it’s one the basketball world needs to hear.Subscribe. Share. Celebrate women who are changing the game.🐺 Rebuilding Weber State From the Inside Out🎤 Representation Matters👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Wife. Mom. Leader. World-Shaker.🧗‍♀️ What’s Next? The Future Is Calling.💬 Tap In With the SLT Family