”What attracted me most to Cedar Creek was the opportunity to flip a program, set a new standard and set the foundation.”
While those goals, as outlined by new Cedar Creek head coach and athletic coordinator Jared Shaw, are noble anywhere, they are perhaps nowhere more relevant than at Cedar Creek. Consider, the Eagles haven’t won a game since defeating Elgin 14-6 on October 1, 2021. That’s 35 games and nearly four years ago for a program that has seen just one .500 campaign since its first varsity season in 2012.
That’s what Jared Shaw faces – and hopes to change.
At 35-years-old, Shaw hasn’t ventured too far away from his Austin roots. A 2008 graduate of Pflugerville High School, Shaw continued playing at Howard Payne University where he served as team captain and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in History. He later earned his Master of Education in Educational Leadership from Texas A&M Commerce.
Following previous stints as an assistant coach at Daingerfield, Killeen Ellison and Lockhart High Schools, Shaw most recently served as the offensive coordinator at Copperas Cove HS.
Along with his wife and two daughters, Shaw returns to the Austin area to try to turn around a struggling Cedar Creek program that’s desperate for a shot in the arm. And he knows it’s not going to happen overnight.
“My expectations for the football program this year and going forward is to build a strong, disciplined team that competes at a high level while fostering a positive and supportive culture,” Shaw states. “As a program, if we can execute the fundamentals, play sound and disciplined football, we feel we give ourselves a chance to be successful.”
Like any competitive coach, Shaw would like to see some crooked numbers in the win column to end the recent streak of 0-10 seasons. But like any complete coach, he knows that what happens off the field is the greater level of success.
“Beyond this year, I envision developing a sustainable program that not only wins games but also equips athletes with the tools to go win academically, socially, and as leaders on and off the field. I want to build a program where athletes feel motivated, supported, and proud to represent our school, creating traditions and a reputation that lasts.”
If Jared Shaw can accomplish that, the Cedar Creek Eagles will finally take flight.