Jake Helfrich: From Underdog to Gamecock
In the year that we have been working together, we’ve seen Charlotte, North Carolina’s Jake Helfrich transition from an injured junior year player to the University of South Carolina’s latest quarterback commit, all under the mentorship of Scoolu QB coach Jim Barker. Helfrich’s story is one full of determination amidst constant obstacles, and we’re incredibly excited for this major accomplishment and next chapter in his life.
In January of last year, Steve Wicklum, Scoolu CEO met up with the dominant 6’0 tall Providence Day QB at a local café, where Jake spoke about his dreams of being a starting quarterback at a Power 5 school. After suffering a ruptured Achilles tendon early on in the year however, his dreams were put on hold, with this injury forcing him to miss the majority of his junior season to focus on recovery and leaving him one last year to show recruiters what he had to offer... until the pandemic hit. This outcome, full of uncertainty, would have stopped many people in their tracks, but Jake refused to accept that outcome. Fast forward to today, and after a year of hard work and dedication, Jake has officially accepted a PWO position at the University of South Carolina. Despite every obstacle he has had to face in his young career, he has emerged a fighter, and with his personal coaching team behind him every step of the way, his work and commitment to learning the ins and outs of the game has finally come into fruition.
Through our daily online sessions at the height of the pandemic, Jake became an expert on defensive schemes and the schematics of offensive football as we studied major college schemes and NFL schemes— Jim Barker on Jake’s progress amidst the pandemic.
This pandemic has seen the cancellation and postponement of almost every single sport, and high school football was no exception. Players were left with an unprecedented, extended off-season without practices and coach mentorship, leaving a lot of players struggling to maintain the motivation and push needed to keep their spot in the game. Jake, however, had already been working with CFL Quarterback Coordinator Jim Barker through Scoolu, so despite national shutdowns, he had access to online mentorship from a personal QB coach who was able to train him through our online platform, prepping him for a solid return to the field. Over the summer, after hours of video review and online coaching sessions, Jake was able to safely work with Jim on the field, putting every technique and theory discussed in ‘class’, into action.
Jim Barker worked with players on every level of the NCAA, making him a go-to when it comes to prepping for college football and the recruitment season. After coaching with various NCAA schools for 20 years, Barker took his skill to the big leagues, working with the CFL, and gaining the title of Coach of the Year. This is the level of coaching you need on your side, and this is the level of coaching that helped bring Jake to USC.
The off-season preparation and the confidence Coach Barker instilled in me during the season were invaluable. He was always there to tell me what I NEEDED to hear during the season. He taught me the game like I had never learned it before. He doesn’t just teach mechanics, but HOW and WHY those mechanics affect my throws through visual comparisons of NFL QB’s. — Jake Helfrich, on working with Jim Barker
Finding a coach is easy. What’s difficult is finding a coach who will support you every step of the way to the top, no matter how long, or how much work it takes. Jim Barker is the coach to take you to the top. Along with working with Jake Helfrich, Barker has been working numerous other top QB prospects such as Jackson Pearre, who he’s helped secure an offer from Augustana University, Richie Stammetti, who, under Jim’s mentorship, just signed on to play for the FCFL this season, as well as class of 2022 players AJ Bianco (St. Louis Highschool, HI) and Joey Howorko (St. Anthony High School, CA). Jim Barker is the QB coach who gets results, and one you need on your team.
The process was tedious and at times nerve-wracking but ultimately worked out perfectly for me. Coach Barker understands how it all works and was with me every step of the way. None of this could have happened without him. I feel fortunate to have Scoolu working with me!