Born and raised in Tyler, after graduating from Bishop T.K. Gorman High School, Jake played baseball at the University of Dallas for 3 years before getting drafted by the Tampa Bay Rays in the 2001 MLB draft. After his pitching career and teaching pitching professionally in DFW, he returned to East Texas and transitioned careers to sell Medical Devices for Stryker, where he is in his 12th year and has established a healthy business. He resides in Whitehouse, TX and enjoys time on the sports field and the lake with his wife, Amanda and his 5 children (Isaac 16, Blaise 15, Rosalie 11, Levi 9, and Justice 7.