At the age of 21, Chris Pettit was at a crossroads in his life. He had played professional soccer for a few seasons in England but was forced to retire due to having a pacemaker placed on his chest. Not wanting to stay in his hometown and yearning for a new experience outside of the country, he decided to bet on himself, accepting a 10-month coaching job at the New York Red Bulls Academy.
And slowly but surely, the chance he took on himself was slowly paying off. Coach Pettit continued to bounce around jobs, eventually becoming a prominent club soccer coach at N.J. Rush, winning multiple state championships during his eight-year tenure.