Episode notes
In Episode 48 of The FocalFlip Podcast, I'm sittin’ down with Jake Thelen, the new head basketball coach at Covington Catholic High School — and let me tell you, this one’s cool. Jake’s story is what hard work, faith, and a love for the game is all about.
Jake had a basketball in his hands probably before he could even talk — since he was 2 or 3 years old, folks around here could tell he had that spark.
He went on to star at CovCath, and sits at #8 on the school’s all-time scoring list. From there, he took his talents to Bellarmine, playing under legendary Coach Scott Davenport for 3 years before taking his game overseas to Denmark for a year.
After playing overseas, Jake realized that his love for the game would be through coaching, so while getting up early to work for his Uncle PJ at Pomeroy from 9 to 1, he'd spend time in between firing off emails to college coaches, chasing the next step.
That hustle paid off — he started coaching at Louisville St. X, then landed at Indiana under Tom Crean, working with guys like Thomas Bryant and OG Anunoby. From there, he served as Director of Basketball Ops at Georgia where he followed Crean. After that he reached out to UC to coach and be polished under Wes Miller, and now… he’s back home. Head coach of the Colonels — right where it all started.
What sets Jake apart isn’t just his résumé — it’s how he carries himself. The man flat-out loves this game. He’s got that uptempo, high-energy style, and he coaches with a fire that’s hard to miss. You’ll hear him say things like “The Standard is the Standard” and “It takes what it takes,” and he lives it every single day. He’s all about doing things the right way — no shortcuts, no excuses, just showing up and putting in the work.
If you love basketball, or just a good story about a hometown kid making it big and giving back, this is one you’re gonna want to hear. Love Y'all, Mike