For Coach Eck, the opportunity to lead Rushville football is about becoming part of a community that truly rallies behind its team. After spending the past five seasons coaching at Saint Joseph High School in South Bend, Eck now takes over the Lions program with a vision centered around toughness, discipline, accountability, and pride. Drawn to the strong support surrounding Rushville football and encouraged by the talent returning to the roster, Eck is eager to build a competitive, hard-working program that players, families, and fans can believe in. In this exclusive Q&A, Coach Eck shares his coaching journey, the culture he hopes to establish, and why he is excited to begin this new chapter as a Rushville Lion.
What attracted you to this opportunity?
When researching Rushville, I was enticed by the community support for the football program. To be able to build a program that gets the community excited is an opportunity that excites me tremendously. There is also talent coming back on both sides of the ball, and especially strong senior and sophomore classes that I believe we can build around.
Can you tell us a little about your background and coaching journey?
I began coaching at 18 years old, coaching at the middle school level while I went to college. In 2021, I was brought onto the staff at my alma mater, Saint Joseph High School, a 4A program in South Bend. I have coached there for the past five seasons. Most recently, I was the tight ends coach at the varsity level, while also being the head freshman coach for the past three seasons.
Who or what inspired you to become a coach?
Some of my best memories and some of the best lessons I learned as a young man came from playing high school football. Being able to teach those same lessons and share that experience with young players has been incredibly gratifying. Also, being a competitor, coaching is the closest thing I will ever have to putting on the pads again.
Coach James Eck pictured on the Saint Joseph High School Football Team (Number 37)
What are your goals for the program moving forward?
I believe the goal for any coach should be to build their program to be competitive within their conference and compete for championships year in and year out. That is my long-term goal for this program: to get us to that point and to build something that can be sustainable. In the short term, my goal is to build a winning culture and for us to play football the right way. Ultimately, if we do those things, we can get the program where everyone wants it to be.
What kind of culture do you hope to build within the team?
It is important to build a winning culture. I am a big believer in discipline and doing the small things right every day. This means working hard in the weight room, at practice, and in the classroom day in and day out. I hold my players accountable in all three areas. I tell my players that you cannot “flip the switch” on gamedays. It has to be full speed all the time.
What can players and families expect from your program?
Players and families can expect a program that represents itself well. I tell my players that you represent yourself AND the team. On the field, you can expect players to play hard, as it is my one non-negotiable in that area. You can also expect them to represent themselves well in the classroom as well as in the community.
James Eck coaching at Saint Joseph High School
How important is leadership and character development within your program?
Building character is a critical part of football. Being able to handle adversity, work hard when it is challenging, work as a team towards a goal, and many other lessons, helps prepare young men for the challenges they will face as adults. Football is a lot of work, as you practice way more than you play. However, the rewards that you reap from playing are incredibly valuable. My goal is to help these young men realize that they can do challenging things.
How would former players describe your coaching style?
Most of my former players will tell you that I am passionate, that I can be very intense at times, and that I hold high expectations for players both on the field and off the field. They will also tell you that I dedicate significant time preparing for each opponent and that I go in each week, no matter what, with the desire to win. Most of my former players will also tell you that I truly care about the players that I coach. I work intentionally to develop relationships with my players, and I work to build that mutual trust and respect.
What message would you like to share with students and fans?
I would like to say to the students and fans that we will be working to build a brand of football that the school and community can be proud of. We will play hard, with passion and aggression, week in and week out. My goal for the program is to be competitive within the conference and sectional. Community support is going to be critical in getting us where we want to be.
What’s your favorite sports memory as a coach or athlete?
All of my favorite sports memories, both as a player and a coach on the football field, come from winning championships. Beating #1-ranked Lowell in the 4A regional championship in 2015, as a player, comes to mind. As a coach, beating Mishawaka, one of the best programs in the area, in the sectional championship this past year comes to mind. Ultimately, football requires a lot of dedication and effort, and when it culminates in a championship, the feeling of accomplishment is truly worth it. I hope at some point to help players here at Rushville experience that same feeling.
James Eck and his younger brother, holding the IHSAA Regional Trophy
Just for fun, what is something people may not know about you?
My wife, Yessenia, was raised in Aguascalientes, Mexico. As a result of that, I am fluent in Spanish, something that most people do not know about me.
Is there anyone you’d like to thank or recognize?
I would like to thank and recognize Coach Ben Downey and all of the assistant coaches at Saint Joseph High School. I may be biased, but I believe that they have the best coaching staff in the state of Indiana. They have made me into the coach that I am today and, for that, I am forever grateful.
While championships remain the long-term goal, Coach Eck believes success begins with the everyday habits built in the classroom, weight room, and practice field. He knows building a successful football program will take time, commitment, and support from players, families, and the community alike. But with energy, experience, and a clear vision leading the way, he believes the foundation is already in place for something special in Rushville. As he put it himself: “I am proud to be a Rushville Lion, and I am very excited to get started.”
