By Jacob Dickman
NKyTribune sports reporter
Over the last 11 seasons, Covington Catholic basketball teams have acquired more than 300 wins, six 9th Region titles and two state championships. Success isn’t just expected, it’s become a tradition.
Now there’s a new head coach leading the CovCath program. The high school hired Jake Thelen, a 2011 graduate who was a standout player for the Colonels.
The question on everyone’s mind is can Thelen, who has never been a head coach before, continue the CovCath winning tradition?
“It takes what it takes,” Thelen said of the expectations placed upon him. “If you take the time and put in the work, chances are you’re going to have some success. I’m going to care a lot about the team and the school, and I’m going to do everything I can to make sure we stay at the top of Kentucky.”
Summer vacation had already started when Thelen was hired, but he’s getting acquainted with the CovCath basketball players during a summer league at the high school.
“I’m always available, and I have an open-door policy with all of my players,” he said. “They can come talk to me at any time, and I want to continue to be positive with these guys.”
Thelen is replacing CovCath’s most successful head coach, Scott Ruthsatz, who compiled a 363-79 record over 13 seasons. Ruthsatz got the job one year after Thelen graduated.
Thelen was recruited by Bellarmine University in Louisville and was named 2015 Great Lakes Conference Player of the Year after his senior season.
He started his college coaching career as an assistant at Indiana University. At the age of 25, he was hired as Director of Basketball Operations at Georgia. He returned to this area three years ago to become Director of Player Development at Cincinnati and was an assistant coach last season.
While some may point out Thelen’s lack of experience as a head coach, he believes that he is ready for the challenge.
“The eight years that I was in Division I, Power Five basketball have prepared me for this position and situation,” he said.
CovCath has two returning varsity starters in junior guards Athens McGillis and Cash Harney. There are four other players who saw action in 24 or more games during last year’s 26-6 season.
“A lot of these guys are young, but they have experience,” Thelen said. “They also play extremely hard and they’re coachable. And if you have those three traits, you have the chance to be successful every year.”
There’s usually a learning curve for a first-year head coach, and Thelen is starting out at one of Kentucky’s premier high schools for basketball. That’s something he is very aware of.
“The success and tradition of this program as a whole is unbelievable, and that’s what sets it apart from a lot of other jobs in Kentucky,” he said with a smile.