Indiana University Athletics
Snider, Thelen Newest Members of Basketball Staff As Graduate Managers
10/5/2016 4:35:00 PM | Men's Basketball
The two newest members of the Indiana basketball staff, Jake Thelen and Gabe Snider, will serve as graduate managers while also working towards their master's degree from IU. The other part of their continuing education will be learning the transition from being a college basketball player to the administrative and day-to-day operations of a Division I basketball program.
Thelen recently completed a professional career in Europe and is a graduate of Bellarmine where he was a first-team All-American. A native of Edgewood, Kentucky (a suburb of Cincinnati), he is a graduate of Covington Catholic High School and earned his degree in Business Administration. He was a teammate at Bellarmine of former Hoosier Ryan Burton.
Snider, is a Chicago native, who completed his playing career last year at Illinois-Chicago where he played as a senior under former IU Associate Head Coach Steve McClain. Snider led the Flames in three-point shooting as a freshman, sophomore and as a senior and played as a prep at Whitney Young High School. He graduated with a degree in business management.
On when they decided to get into coaching…
(JT) "I decided I wanted to get into coaching after my stint in Europe ended. I had a lot of talks with my old coach, (Bellarmine head) coach (Scott) Davenport. That was always something I felt I was good at and I wanted to get into, and I'm fortunate that Coach Crean gave me this opportunity to come to Indiana and be a graduate assistant this year for the basketball team."
(GS) "I think I realized towards the end of my career at University of Illinois-Chicago, we didn't really have the greatest of success while I was playing. I realized my body was kind of breaking down, those type of things. I love the game. My father's organization, he has a basketball fundamental organization where he teaches kids a lot of nights out of the week. I've grown to love that. I think it's fun when you see all the hard work of teaching come to fruition on the court."
On the biggest adjustment going from a former player to coaching…
(JT) "I think the biggest adjustment is realizing that you aren't a player anymore and even though you aren't really on the coaching side of things, you kind of are. Just kind of being a leader and a mentor for these guys. Just kind of leading them into the right direction and kind of being there for them if they need something, whether it be help with school work or getting up extra shots in the gym."
(GS) "I'm not a player anymore. The biggest difference is, I see it in my body. When I was playing it was easier to get out and do everything. Now, I have a responsibility off the court. I like staying in shape but it's a hard transition into everything I have to do. I'm used to being a player so with all the work, it's a different type of lifestyle for me. I like it, I like it a lot."
On the biggest takeaway regarding the Indiana program in the time he's been here…
(JT) "The attention to detail. Going through all the individuals and practices with Coach Crean, his attention to detail is unmatched. The attention to film, the amount of film we watch and the talent level of these guys and how hard they work, how hard this coaching staff works is the reason why Indiana is so great."
On who he talked to about going into the coaching side of things…
(GS) "First, I talked to former Indiana assistant Steve McClain. It was kind of him who really told me about what it would take, what it would be like starting out. I talked to other coaches at UIC, just kind of getting an idea of the type of lifestyle, type of transition it would be coming from being a player and being in a more administrative coaching position."
Thelen recently completed a professional career in Europe and is a graduate of Bellarmine where he was a first-team All-American. A native of Edgewood, Kentucky (a suburb of Cincinnati), he is a graduate of Covington Catholic High School and earned his degree in Business Administration. He was a teammate at Bellarmine of former Hoosier Ryan Burton.
Snider, is a Chicago native, who completed his playing career last year at Illinois-Chicago where he played as a senior under former IU Associate Head Coach Steve McClain. Snider led the Flames in three-point shooting as a freshman, sophomore and as a senior and played as a prep at Whitney Young High School. He graduated with a degree in business management.
On when they decided to get into coaching…
(JT) "I decided I wanted to get into coaching after my stint in Europe ended. I had a lot of talks with my old coach, (Bellarmine head) coach (Scott) Davenport. That was always something I felt I was good at and I wanted to get into, and I'm fortunate that Coach Crean gave me this opportunity to come to Indiana and be a graduate assistant this year for the basketball team."
(GS) "I think I realized towards the end of my career at University of Illinois-Chicago, we didn't really have the greatest of success while I was playing. I realized my body was kind of breaking down, those type of things. I love the game. My father's organization, he has a basketball fundamental organization where he teaches kids a lot of nights out of the week. I've grown to love that. I think it's fun when you see all the hard work of teaching come to fruition on the court."
On the biggest adjustment going from a former player to coaching…
(JT) "I think the biggest adjustment is realizing that you aren't a player anymore and even though you aren't really on the coaching side of things, you kind of are. Just kind of being a leader and a mentor for these guys. Just kind of leading them into the right direction and kind of being there for them if they need something, whether it be help with school work or getting up extra shots in the gym."
(GS) "I'm not a player anymore. The biggest difference is, I see it in my body. When I was playing it was easier to get out and do everything. Now, I have a responsibility off the court. I like staying in shape but it's a hard transition into everything I have to do. I'm used to being a player so with all the work, it's a different type of lifestyle for me. I like it, I like it a lot."
On the biggest takeaway regarding the Indiana program in the time he's been here…
(JT) "The attention to detail. Going through all the individuals and practices with Coach Crean, his attention to detail is unmatched. The attention to film, the amount of film we watch and the talent level of these guys and how hard they work, how hard this coaching staff works is the reason why Indiana is so great."
On who he talked to about going into the coaching side of things…
(GS) "First, I talked to former Indiana assistant Steve McClain. It was kind of him who really told me about what it would take, what it would be like starting out. I talked to other coaches at UIC, just kind of getting an idea of the type of lifestyle, type of transition it would be coming from being a player and being in a more administrative coaching position."
Players Mentioned
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