When Florida Gulf Coast University’s director of men’s basketball operations Joey Cantens announced in April that he was leaving to accept a position with the Domincan Republic national team, there was a major void left behind in one of FGCU athletics’ most important roles.
That void has now been filled.
Tyler Schwab, FGCU’s former video coordinator, has been promoted to Director of Basketball Operations and will spend his second season with the Eagles mastering the logistics that make a sports team run successfully. In his new position, Schwab will be responsible for the Eagles’ scheduling duties, including practice, games and team travel itineraries.
While Schwab’s new title means a heavier focus on logistics and slightly less on basketball, he will still be responsible for scouting and film preparation in addition to his new planning and administrative duties.
FGCU head basketball coach Joe Dooley said that he’s excited for Schwab and his new opportunity. Dooley has no concerns about Schwab’s ability to translate his skills to his new position.
“I think this is a great opportunity for Tyler to get some more experience,” Dooley said. “Tyler’s got great passion. He wants to be a part of the program. He really helped us last year, and I think he’ll continue to help us.”
Both the Eagles’ head coach and Schwab himself were quick to praise the additional work that Cantens did last season to groom Schwab for the new position, providing the information and hands-on experience that will allow him to jump right in and land on his feet. Dooley spoke about Cantens and his efforts to teach Schwab what will be expected of him.
“I think [Tyler] was able to shadow Joey Cantens a lot last year, so I think he has a pretty good familiarity,” Dooley said. “I think Tyler’s glad to have his foot in the door in college basketball, and I think he’ll do a good job.”
A 2012 graduate of Spring Hill College in Alabama, Schwab said that his ultimate goal is to become a coach, but he understands that he needs to add time and experience to his resume before he will get that opportunity.
“I’m so young and it gives me an opportunity to learn from older people,” Schwab said. “With Coach Dooley being in college basketball for, I want to say 26, 27 years, and being at the highest level at Kansas, it’s a good stepping stone for me to learn because ultimately I want to be a coach. But I think in college basketball, I’m not quite ready yet. So this gives me an opportunity to learn from some of the best coaches.”
It’s a great time to be an Eagle, and with a new job title helping him inch even closer to his career goals, it’s not a bad time to be Tyler Schwab, either.