For BlazePod ambassador Jake Turnbull, football has always been more than just a game. It’s been a lifelong passion, a career path, and ultimately the foundation for building one of the North East’s fastest-growing football development centres.
What started as small-group coaching sessions and 1-to-1 training has evolved into JT Arena — a full professional indoor football facility in Ashington designed to help players develop technically, physically, and mentally. But for Jake, creating a facility was never just about opening doors and running sessions. It was about building an environment where players could truly grow.
From Player to Coach to Facility Owner
Jake’s journey into coaching came naturally after his own playing career ended. Rather than stepping away from the game, he focused on giving back through player development and performance training. Over the years, his reputation steadily grew, leading to the launch of JT Arena — a project built through determination, long hours, and a clear vision.
Opening the facility came from frustration as much as ambition. Jake wanted control over the environment, the quality of sessions, and the freedom to create something bigger than rented pitch time allowed.
“The hard part isn’t the football,” Jake explains. “It’s the operations, the cash flow, the hiring. You have to become a businessman as well as a coach.”
That mindset has helped shape JT Arena into far more than a football pitch. It’s become a complete athlete development hub.
Why Decision-Making Matters Most
Jake has worked with players of all ages and levels, from young beginners through to academy-level athletes. Across every group, one key ability consistently stands out: decision-making under pressure.
Technical skills can always be repeated and refined, but football is ultimately played at speed. Players need to process information quickly, react instinctively, and make the right choices while fatigued and under pressure.
That’s exactly where BlazePod has become such an important part of Jake’s coaching philosophy.
Bringing Cognitive Training Into Football Sessions
At JT Arena, BlazePod is used to sharpen reaction time, improve awareness, and strengthen the connection between what players see and how they respond physically.
Rather than relying solely on cones and repetitive technical drills, the Pods create unpredictable stimuli that force players to stay mentally engaged throughout every repetition.
“What I like is that it adds a measurable, competitive element,” Jake says. “Players can see their times, track improvement, and that data keeps them honest and hungry.”
The ability to measure performance has become increasingly valuable in modern coaching. Athletes — and parents — want to see visible progress, not just hear about it.
According to Jake, BlazePod helps provide exactly that.
Creating Competitive, High-Energy Sessions
One of the biggest impacts Jake has seen from BlazePod is the energy shift inside sessions. The addition of light-based reactions and timed challenges immediately increases focus and competitiveness among players.
“Players compete differently when there’s a light flashing and a timer running,” he explains.
Some of the drills Jake returns to most often involve random reaction-based movement patterns, with Pods positioned around players who must respond instantly before completing technical football actions such as passing, carrying, or finishing.
The result is training that feels far closer to real match scenarios — where players must constantly react, scan, and decide under pressure.
Real Results On and Off the Pitch
For Jake, the biggest proof comes from the players themselves.
He’s seen athletes become more alert, more engaged, and more focused during training sessions — even when the Pods are no longer in use.
Several players from the JT Arena environment have progressed into EFL academy systems, including Carlisle United, and Jake believes creating demanding, high-focus training environments plays an important role in those outcomes.
Parents notice the difference too.
“When their kid comes home talking about their reaction score, that’s buy-in you can’t manufacture.”
Building the Future of JT Arena
Jake’s ambition for JT Arena continues to grow. Alongside the football facility, he’s recently launched JT Performance Gym, allowing athletes to combine technical and physical development under one roof.
He’s also expanding the facility’s 3v3 league series and continuing to build JT Arena into a leading football development destination in the North East.
But despite the growth, the motivation remains simple.
“The players are the fuel,” Jake says. “When you see a kid come in struggling with confidence and leave walking taller, that’s what keeps you going.”
For coaches looking to modernise their sessions, create measurable progress, and build smarter athletes, Jake believes BlazePod is no longer just an extra tool — it’s becoming part of the future of football training.
