Son of late FC Dallas legend Bobby Rhine carries legacy to UIL state championship
Highland Park junior midfielder Jake Rhine grew up around the game of soccer.
His father, Bobby Rhine, played 212 games in Major League Soccer for one club: FC Dallas. He recorded 23 goals and 34 assists and later served in the FC Dallas front office as manager of community engagement and as a play-by-play commentator. Bobby Rhine also coached in the FC Dallas youth system.
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He was a fan favorite and a man who left a larger-than-life legacy when he died from a heart attack in 2011. He was 35 years old.
At the time, Jake Rhine was a preschooler. Even at such a young age, he “always knew” that he wanted to play soccer, just like his father.
“Playing soccer has always been a dream of mine since childhood,” Jake Rhine said. “To follow in my father’s footsteps.”
More than 13 years after his father’s death, Jake Rhine’s soccer journey has led him to the UIL’s grandest stage in Georgetown. On Friday, April 11, he and the Highland Park Scots (20-1-2) will play in the UIL’s Class 5A Division 2 state championship against Liberty Hill (15-7-7).
“It’s a big responsibility to represent this school and my family as well,” Jake Rhine said. “But it’s also an honor just to get to know these people — my teammates. It’s really a privilege to be able to make it and to stay with this team and these guys.”
Throughout his life, Jake Rhine has made many visits to the FC Dallas locker room and has stayed in contact with some coaches and players. FC Dallas has immortalized Bobby Rhine’s legacy in several ways:
- Paxton Pomykal, a Lewisville product, wears Bobby Rhine’s No. 19 with permission from the Rhine family
- Bobby Rhine is a 2011 FC Dallas Walk of Fame inductee
- The Bobby Rhine Fall Invitational Youth Soccer Tournament
- The Bobby Rhine Memorial Scholarship
- Multiple commemorative flags and banners displayed in Toyota Stadium
- Supporter section at Toyota Stadium named “The Rhine”
Jake Rhine said he thinks about his father’s impact every day. He wants to leave a similar legacy as an elite soccer player at Highland Park, but he also wants to be remembered as a great teammate, friend and leader.
“Seeing what my father did for this community,” Jake Rhine said. “He has obviously impacted a lot of people around the Dallas area, and people look up to him. It’s definitely a lot to fill his shoes, but I try and do my best.”
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As an under-11 club player, Jake Rhine’s team, C Dallas 07B Central Blue, won the Bobby Rhine Invitational. Jake Rhine first fully realized that he shared some of his father’s elite talent when he made FC Dallas’ under-12 Academy Team.
Now, his soccer journey has led him to Highland Park, where he has a key role as a junior. He credited his coaches and the support of his family and teammates for putting him in a position to succeed.
With the Scots, Jake Rhine tries to replicate the toughness, grit, passion and leadership that his father showcased.
“Jake (Rhine) has a great personality,” Scott Turner, Highland Park head coach, said. “And he has had a tremendous impact on our team all year, which includes the two winning goals in the playoff journey that we’re on.”
Jake Rhine’s latest game-winning goal came in the regional finals against Poteet. It paved the way for the Scots to secure a 1-0 victory.
Turner said Jake Rhine is a special player and credited him for his aggressiveness when attacking a defense, his creativity and his speed that allows him to get behind the defense.
Ray Reid, who coached Bobby Rhine at the University of Connecticut, wrote that he is “so happy for Jake” on X, formerly known as Twitter.
“Your Dad is looking down extremely proud,” Reid wrote. “He has his father’s game. We are proud of you Jake. Go get the next one!!”
After a state semifinal victory against Saginaw, Jake Rhine gave all the credit to his teammates.
“It’s all the seniors,” Jake Rhine said. “We’ve got a great group of guys. Jack O’Grady always gets the job done. Justin Ratner is a special goalkeeper. Super aggressive. This whole squad is so well rounded, it’s made the playoffs extremely special.”
The state championship run is the crown jewel of Jake Rhine’s lifelong soccer journey — at least so far. He emphasized that none of it would be possible without the help of his mother, Bevan Rhine Liverman, whom he called his family’s rock.
“My mother — we wouldn’t be here without her,” Jake Rhine said. “After my father’s passing, she kept us all together. She kept us all strong. My brother and I were very young and didn’t quite understand what was going on. I credit her with keeping our family together.”
Rhine continued, saying he couldn’t remember his mother missing one of his soccer games.
“She has been here for everything,” Rhine said. “Before I could drive, she took me to every practice. And at games, she is always the loudest one in the stands. I love that she is able to be here for me and watch what I’ve been able to grow into.”
Before every match, Rhine says a prayer to stay connected with his father — a ritual that keeps his dad close as he chases his own soccer dreams.
During games, he displays the same passion Bobby Rhine had for everyone to see — whether it’s a celebration or a reaction to play, Jake Rhine is animated and expressive.
“My passion has always been there,” Jake Rhine said. “This is what I love to do. I love stepping onto the field every game. And there is nothing I would rather be doing than winning games with these guys right here.”
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