View 18s, which often is a challenge for both coach and son.
“Sometimes I overstep my bounds when I’m talking to him about what I think we need to do as a team,” James said. “The guys realize what’s going on.” Shaw the coach doesn’t feel James’ free- dom of speech on the court is a hindrance. “It goes both ways,” he said. “I’m tougher and more sarcastic towards him than the other players, and he understands that.” The relationship has never been over the top. Don Shaw has always emphasized the importance of having fun playing volley- ball to both James and his daughter Jordan, who is an all-conference outside hitter at St. Mary’s in Moraga, Calif. “James understands the sport’s culture and that volleyball guys can never take themselves too seriously because nobody else takes them that seriously,” Don said. “Even so, James is good athlete who could excel at other sports, but he happens to love volleyball.”
James has a competitive nature that will aid him in his quest to become an interna- tional level setter. Teammates quickly rec- ognize the drive. “He’s very competitive and loves to win,” said Chad Radish, a Mountain View teammate and Shaw’s best buddy on the team as well as his beach partner. “No matter the situation, he’s the same player.” During a Northern California Volleyball Association regional tournament in San Ma- teo in December, Mountain View’s 18 Open team was matched up against the club’s 17 Open team in pool play.
The younger squad had been popping
ON THE FARM: James and Don Shaw will continue to spend lots of time on the Stanford campus.
“I used to love watching Kevin Hansen (U.S. National Team) and after that Kawika Shoji,” Shaw said. “It was motivating for me to see how hard those guys worked.” Hard work is no stranger to the Shaw regimen. “I try to come into practice and fire the guys up,” Shaw said. “I love coming into practice. It’s like an oasis for me, and it’s my favorite part of the week.”
The elder Shaw preaches the leadership qualities essential for a big-time setter. “My whole goal was to have James be a good team player and have him be the type of player coaches love to coach,” Don said. “By the nature of the position, he has to lead and be the hardest worker.”
Don Shaw is the coach of the Mountain
off in practice about their desire to play the 18s. Shaw served 13-straight points and two untouched aces at the finish in a 25-4 first set victory, which turned out to be a statement game. Mercy was not a consideration. “We’re all part of the same club, and I like all of those guys,” he said. “But you have to have a killer instinct even in a situation like that.” A closer’s mentality combined with a 40-inch vertical and a lifetime of building fundamentals makes Shaw a prospect for future U.S. Men’s National Team rosters. He blossomed at last summer’s FIVB Boys’ Youth World Championship in Argentina, where he emerged as one of the team’s most prominent players.
Ken Shibuya, an assistant coach at Stan- ford and head coach of that U.S. youth team, said the experience in Argentina benefited Shaw tremendously. “He improved as much as anybody on our roster during that tourna- ment,” Shibuya said. “I think he enjoyed the entire atmosphere, and it made him want to play more in that environment.” Shaw also possesses a level of maturity required to direct a program with the heri- tage of the Stanford men’s volleyball team.
SMOOTH DELIVERY: James Shaw got a taste of international competition last summer with the U.S. Boys’ Youth National Team. (Photo: FIVB)
Academics remain a priority, despite the fact that he already passed muster from Stanford admissions. No slack time for the setter who keeps his vision clear and resolve steady. Don Shaw remembers James requesting to switch schools in junior high because the guys he hung out with on summer all-star baseball and basketball teams were more serious about school and sports than those at his initial school.
“I knew then that James had his priorities in check,” Shaw said.
The younger Shaw tentatively plans to major in management science and engineer- ing, which will give him a broad array of options for the future, but he maintains tunnel vision for the present. When asked what he thinks he’ll be doing at age 40, he said coach- ing Division I volleyball was a probability. “Or maybe I will still be going strong (playing professionally) like Lloy Ball,” he said. His dad thinks the future and his options outside volleyball are unlimited. “He’s so physical and has so many skills; I wish I had had those qualities when I played,” said Don, who was a top-flight beach player and a pro- fessional indoor player in the International Volleyball Association.
Even blindfolded, you could foresee a long career in volleyball for James Shaw. “There are people who’ve burned out on the sport because they’ve played too much for too long,” James said. “But I can’t get enough.”
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