There will be a Triton College connection when the University of Illinois' men's basketball team hits the floor in Indianapolis at the NCAA Final Four.
Former Trojan walk-on player Tyler Olsen who viewed the game cerebrally during his time at Triton, now analyzes basketball under the sport's brightest lights as a graduate assistant coach for Illinois under head man Brad Underwood. Becoming a NCAA champion truly is the sum of many parts, so if the Fighting Illini craft two more wins, Olsen's imprint will be part of the glory.
"Graduate assistants are invaluable to the success of any program," said former Triton head coach John Clancy, now an assistant at Ball State University working with his own pair of GA's.
Once all eyes and ears on the bench and learning from Clancy while appearing in 15 games during the Trojans' own NJCAA Final Four season in 2021-22, Olsen now is a veritable Swiss Army knife of an assistant as he pursues his masters in special education in Urbana.
From playing on the scout defense in practice, to helping simplify coaching plans for Illinois' international players, to getting the team settled into their dorms, Olsen does it all in the entry-level coaching position he possesses.
"There are a bunch of different coaching styles," Olsen said while he awaited practice amid the swirling media and fan frenzy around the Fighting Illini. "From guys who get under the players' skin to those with a nurturing role. I like to take the approach of being a teacher first. We have so many guys where English is not their first language. You have to simplify things."
Olsen never was a recruited star coming out of York High School in Elmhurst. His father Mike Olsen was then the Trojans' track and field coach and reached out to Clancy to give his son a walk-on spot at Triton. Through his extended time on the bench, Olsen realized he wanted to coach more than play. And so he begins his hopeful upward journey that Underwood and everyone else in the coaching profession had to endure.
"He's a basketball junkie," Clancy said about Olsen's time with the Trojans. "Playing wasn't his thing. Tyler was a joy to be around. His future is bright and it's cool to see a kid take an unconventional path. A lot of graduate assistants were former Division I players."
If Olsen has to earn his way up the ladder through merit, then Clancy was the midwife of the journey. Olsen learned coaching techniques amid a 30-6 Triton season that lasted all the way to the semifinal game of the NJCAA Division I National Tournament in Hutchinson, Kan.
"I learned work ethic, the grind," Olsen said. "Being a part of that season, you get to know the typical ups and downs. You learn basketball a different way. You see the amount of things that go into basketball without playing. The only way I can help is by using my voice. I realize that's what I wanted to do."
"When we lost at Moberly (in the Midwest District title game), and did not know if we would make it to 'Hutch.' It was a lesson to not give up on the season. It was incredible. I learned so many basketball X's and O's. I would not trade that year for anything."
The Olsen-Clancy relationship did not end with one JUCO season. Olsen also benefited from a connection Clancy had with the Illinois coaching staff. When Olsen transferred downstate, he became a student manager for the team with Clancy's recommendation.
"I would not be here if not for Triton," Olsen said.
Olsen impressed over his three years of manager's service and worked his way up to the graduate assistant's position, a two-year program.
"The goal is to continue up the coaching ranks," Olsen said. "With a teaching degree I can be a high school teacher and coach. In a college program, you see how far you can go. We've had graduate assistants become full-time assistant coaches or become director of basketball operations at other schools."
Olsen can relate to players even more having been in their ranks just a few years ago. He rooms with one of the members of the team. He's in shape to participate in practice – doing the drills, not just talking about plays.
"You're playing real game situations, you're being trapped in corners," he said. "I'm playing defense, I'm burning 3,000 calories a day. If one of players needed to be more physical, I'll guard him hard. Another player was finishing off one foot, shying away from contact. We made adjustments and he's seen his two-point shooting percentage come up."
Now Olsen is learning from Underwood. But the knowledge flow does not go one way.
"The best apart of Brad is he lets you do your thing," he said. "He does not put restrictions on everyone. He does not overbear you with things. He's always open to new ideas. With the NIL, he's open to change. It's the best thing for my growth."
Next on Olsen's agenda is helping Illinois prepare for their first Final Four appearance in 21 years and a date with UCONN. The Huskies aren't awed by the big stage after winning a pair of NCAA National Championships in the last three years.
But the Fighting Illini fans will want a piece of every player and coach with Indianapolis just a two-hour drive east from Urbana. Olsen will have to maintain focus along with the rest of the team as Illinois looks to win its first ever NCAA crown in men's basketball.
"It's buzzing," Olsen said of the campus atmosphere. "You feel happiness. Hundreds were waiting for us at the airport. We're having an open practice at the stadium and we expect 10,000."
"I like our odds. I do expect a Sea of Orange at Indy."
Olsen has had quite a journey and hopes "The Road to the Final Four" ends with him and the Fighting Illini cutting down the nets in celebration of a national title.
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(Story by tritonathletics.com contributor George Castle)Â Â
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