Jake Larrimore - 11v11 & 9v9 Coach

How did you become involved in soccer and coaching?

Growing up in the Chicago suburbs, I played club soccer throughout the 1990s. It was such a great place to be exposed to different styles and tactics, as quite a few area teams were tied to weekend language/culture schools at that time. I’ll never forget playing the Serbian club and being amazed that nearly all their passes were either crosses or twenty+ yard pings for giant forwards to flick-on to running wingers.  Soon after, we played a Mexican team where every pass was on the ground and travelled ten yards or less.

Once, after playing the Lithuanian team, we were invited inside for a fried chicken fundraiser; two of our players were Lithuanian and had to stay regardless. It was such a fun and unique experience. At a time when soccer wasn’t televised (aside from the World Cup), it helped my team so much to be able to experiment and refine our own style of play, then practice utilizing it against vastly differing opponents.

As a senior in high school, I was a starting fullback on one of the top two teams in Illinois. Half of us had been playing together since U10, and that continuity was integral to our success. Mostly, we just loved to play. We - alongside players from our women’s team, which made the state semifinals that year - played small-sided pickup games every weekend, whether we were in-season or not.

It was in these self-directed games that we really learned how to rotate defensively, and how to attack space while in possession. Our offensive-minded players were held accountable for tracking runners; our least technical players got used to anticipating runs and playing through-balls; and everyone was expected to take turns between getting forward to turn cutback passes into goals and covering against counter attacks.  Really, it was these informal games where we got comfortable on the ball under pressure, learned to read each other’s movements, and built our trust in one another.

Not long after, lingering injuries took their toll on me to the point where I basically gave up the game. It was only when I began coaching my daughter’s teams in 2018 that I realized how much I’d missed being out on the field, and how much I loved teaching the game. So, as my daughter progressed through the age levels, I began to work on my licensing. I hold a National D License and will be obtaining my C License in October 2025.

Why you are excited to be part of the new Rush program?

I’m so excited to join NC Rush Central! I love the player-centric philosophy of the club, and how it provides guidance for each child to improve their level not only through scheduled practices, but independently. The focus on finding and tapping into each player’s special quality, rather than expecting everyone to fit one specific mold, is a fantastic model for youth development. Centered around the idea of improvement – for players, parents, coaches, and staff – NC Central Rush operates with a strong growth mindset. In building a culture of trust and continuity, and by prioritizing fun and flexibility, the club offers a platform for our players to gain a lifelong passion for the game while minimizing burnout.

What is one quote that you find valuable, true or inspiring to your approach to life and sport?

When a player surrenders his self-interest for the greater good, his fullest gifts as an athlete are manifested. He's not trying to force a shot, or do something that's not in his repertoire of basketball moves, or impose his personality on the team. It's funny—by playing within his natural abilities, he activates a higher potential beyond his abilities, a higher potential for the team. It changes things for everybody. All of a sudden, the rest of the team can react instinctively to what that player is doing. And it just kind of mushrooms out from there—the whole begins to add up to more than the sum of its parts. We see this a lot in critical situations. When players are totally focused on the team goal, their efforts can create chain reactions. It's as if they become totally connected to one another, in sync with one another like five fingers on one hand. When one finger moves, the rest of them all react to it.
  - Phil Jackson