Meet Jake

Jake Cohen is a performance coach, movement specialist, and the founder of Pirate Ship Athletics, a training system built to help athletes run faster, get stronger, and stay healthier—without needing separate coaches for strength, speed, physio, nutrition, and recovery. He takes a complete approach to performance, blending biomechanics, smart strength training, sprint mechanics, and evidence-based nutrition guidance into one streamlined program.

One Stop Shop

Jake doesn’t just write your workouts. He handles EVERY part of your athlete journey.

Nutrition

Fueling like an athlete isn’t a diet—it’s a performance strategy. Jake builds evidence-based nutrition strategies to increase energy, boost recovery, and support high-output training.

Physio / Movement Mechanics

Performance isn’t just what you do, it’s how you move. Jake focuses on biomechanics, mobility, and technique so every rep, stride, and lift is as efficient as possible.

Recovery

Training only works when the body adapts. Sleep, hydration, soft-tissue care, training balance—Jake gives you a recovery system that keeps you performing, not breaking down.

Injury Prevention

Healthy athletes perform longer. No athlete wants to be on the sidelines. Jake is proactive in making sure your body is ready, no matter the intensity.

Jake has been in your Shoes

Jake Cohen was a Division I athlete — he knows what it takes, both in the lab and on the field.

Jake Cohen’s athletic career began at the University of Delaware, where he competed in indoor and outdoor track and field from 2004 to 2008. A versatile athlete, he excelled in pole vault, sprints, and long jump, earning four varsity letters in indoor track and three in outdoor. He went on to continue his athletic journey at the University of Miami, competing in outdoor track and specializing in pole vault, where he earned another varsity letter.

A Lifelong, Passionate Coach Invested in You

Jake’s coaching career began in collegiate athletics, where he worked at the Division I level with both men’s and women’s track & field programs at the University of Illinois and Louisiana Tech. During that time, he coached NCAA qualifiers, All-Americans, and school record holders across sprints and jumps. He has continued that success privately, working with high-school athletes, HYROX competitors, and adult athletes who want to train at a higher level—not just exercise.

Jake has coached athletes in football, basketball, baseball, lacrosse, softball, wrestling, and track & field, and has trained nine NFL athletes, including two currently active. His athletes seek him out for speed development, movement efficiency, and longevity-focused training that reduces injuries while improving explosive performance.

What sets Jake apart is his ability to integrate every part of performance under one roof. Instead of bouncing between separate professionals for strength, sprint coaching, physio, and nutrition, Jake handles:

  • Strength and conditioning
  • Sprint and speed development
  • Movement mechanics and mobility
  • Injury-prevention strategies
  • Nutrition and fueling guidance
  • Recovery and workload management

Whether in-person or remote, Jake designs programs based on individual needs, not templates. He uses movement assessments, training history, data tracking, and ongoing check-ins to adjust training as athletes progress.

If you're serious about your performance, Jake will help you get faster, move better, and compete with confidence.

Jake's Approach

Jake believes athletes don’t need more random workouts—they need coaching, accountability, and a plan that actually leads somewhere. His mission is to keep athletes performing, not sidelined, and to build training that creates both short-term results and long-term athletic health.

Speed

Strength

Power

Coordination

Endurance

Fully Certified

Jake can do everything. And he has the paperwork and learning to prove it.

ALTIS (2017–Present)

Jake has completed multiple professional development courses through ALTIS, one of the world’s leading high-performance coaching organizations. His education includes horizontal jumps,  short sprints, sprint hurdles, high jump:

USTFCCCA Event-Specific Specialist Certifications

Certified in jumps, sprints, hurdles, relays, and horizontal jumps, with advanced training in athlete management, technical instruction, biomechanics, and event-specific training design across all sprint and jump disciplines.

NSCA-Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS®) — 2013

Jake holds the NSCA Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist (CSCS®) credential, demonstrating an elite, evidence-based foundation to design and implement strength and conditioning programs for athletes at all levels.

Precision Nutrition Level 1 — 2023

A credential trusted by thousands of coaches worldwide and recognized as one of the industry’s leading evidence-based nutrition programs. 

Level 2 Coaches/Rising Star Award

This award recognizes a coach who has utilized the USATF level 2 CE program to make an impact on their coaching that includes sustained, exceptional performance. 

USATF Level 1 (October 2009)

Jake has achieved the USATF Level 1 Coach certification, establishing a foundational competency in track & field coaching across all event groups. 

USTFCCCA Coaches Academy — Masters Endorsement Program (2011–Present)

Covers advanced training across sport science, injury management, sports psychology, and weight training for track & field.

USATF Level 2 — Jumps (July 2010)

A USATF Level 2 Coach certification builds on the foundational Level 1 credential and advances coaching knowledge into sport-science, training theory, biomechanics, and event-specific program design.

Start Training Today!

Hit the ground running! Let Jake take you to the next level today!