Alumni on the Sidelines - Jake Davis
Bolts Alum Jake Davis is the First Team Assistant Coach and Goalkeeper Coach for Hartford Athletic. Jake joined the Bolts in the early years of the Development Academy, and had four great seasons with the club. At the college level, Jake competed for Umass Lowell, King University, and Southern Connecticut State University from 2015 to 2018.
Throughout his academy and college career, Jake was always a student of the game. It was no surprise to see him jump straight into the coaching game after finishing his masters degree at SCSU.
Jake began as an men’s assistant coach at Assumption College in 2019. From there, he was brought in as the goalkeeper coach for the University of Virginia Women’s Soccer program. UVA has always been one of the best programs in the country, and Jake was able to contribute to that success from 2019-2021. In those three seasons, the program achieved a #1 Ranking (2019), College Cup Appearance (2020), and ACC Regular Season Title (2021).
In the summer of 2021, Jake also got his first taste of coaching at the professional level. He worked as a goalkeeper coach for Hartford Athletic in the USL Championship. His performance in that role earned him a promotion to First Team Assistant Coach and Goalkeeper Coach for the upcoming 2022 season.
Jake’s understanding of the goalkeeper position and attention to detail was shaped by his fantastic attitude and application as a player. We’re excited to see him carry those qualities into a long, successful coaching career. Read below for key insights on how to be a successful player from Jake Davis:
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What was your favorite part about being a member of the Boston Bolts?
My Favorite part of being a member of the Boston Bolts was the people. The players, coaches, and staff truly were special people and made my time at the Bolts. Although I am a few years removed from the club, a lot of us are still in close contact with each other. That might be calling Tim Fauth for advice on an interview, watching Miles Robinson play for the national team, talking with David Price about players all over the world, and everything in between. The relationships we were able to create will last a lifetime and is by far my favorite member of the Bolts. We had amazing players and coaches and learning from each one of them, made me the player, coach and person I am today. I am lucky to have been in the group I came up with, and an amazing Goalkeeper Union with the Bolts.
What parts of your Bolts experience have you taken with you into your coaching career?
I have taken many things from the Bolts into my coaching career, Tim Fauth, Aidan Byrne, Brian Ainscough, Criag Stewart, Gabe Margolis, James Greenslit, Chris Payne and others, all taught me valuable lessons. However, the most important one I believe I have taken into my new role is that, everyone is different, everyone has a different learning style, and everyone will have a unique teaching style, do not try to be someone you are not. All the coaches at the Bolts were different than one another, and I am a more well-rounded coach because of it. To sum it up, no one is you, and that is your power.
As a coach, what traits do you look for in your players?
The traits that I look for in a player are simple. Having a world class work ethic, along with a passion to learn. I am a huge believer that learning is a choice. You must choose to be open minded, and willing to learn. Once you have those things, you can begin to improve. In terms of traits on the field, the top players always love winning and hate losing. If you are competitive, both within a team setting, but also with yourself, you set yourself up to be successful.
In your experience, what is the biggest factor for any player who's looking to have a successful playing career?
The biggest factor for a player looking to have a successful career is to believe in yourself. I tried out for the Bolts 2 years in row when I was young, and was told to come back next year. I believed I had the quality to play for the club, and I knew coaches at the club would see it too. Joining the Bolts was the best decision of my football career.
What's one piece of advice or lesson that a coach taught you that will stay with you forever?
One piece of advice that a coach taught me that will stay with forever is to not be afraid to admit you were wrong. You need to be open to admit it, and move on. You do not want to be the one always pointing a finger at others, making excuses, or worst case, lying. Be open and honest, move on, learn and be better each day.