Coach Jake has been teaching chess for the last fifteen years. His passion for the game started when he was four years old and that quickly grew when both the elementary and middle schools he attended in Florida offered chess as an elective course. Inevitably, his playing strength grew and after a couple of tournaments, he won the U13 section of the Florida State Championship.
After moving from Florida to Connecticut, Coach Jake got into teaching both private and after-school group chess lessons ranging from beginner to advanced. He taught summer chess camps throughout Connecticut and helped host a few state championships at Hopkins in West Haven where he saw his students compete.
In 2021, Jake joined DIG USA as a coach while also helping run the business. Jake coaches chess, soccer, nerf capture the flag, basketball, and other sports for DIG USA.
Aside from being a coach, Jake holds a degree in accounting and is currently going back to school to pursue a degree in special education.