Don Shaw : Interview for the Stanford Athletics Oral History Project
Abstract/Contents
- Abstract
- Considered one of the greatest collegiate women’s volleyball coaches, Don Shaw came to Stanford in 1980 as an assistant coach, working with both the men’s and women’s teams. He served as the head coach of the Stanford Women’s Volleyball team from 1984 to 1999, leading the team to four NCAA championships and ten conference titles. He was the head coach of the Stanford Men’s Volleyball team in 1984 and 1985 and again from 2001 to 2006. In this interview, Shaw describes his own athletic career, including playing basketball at Palisades High School and in college, training for the US Olympic volleyball team in 1978-79, and playing professional volleyball with the San Jose Diablos. He recalls how an acquaintance with Fred Sturm led him to join the Stanford volleyball coaching staff and reflects on the process of recruiting athletes at Stanford, his coaching philosophy, and change over time in the culture and competitiveness of Stanford athletics. He shares memories of mentors and fellow coaches, impactful players, and beating UCLA to win the women’s 1992 National Championship.
Description
| Type of resource | sound recording, text |
|---|---|
| Extent | 3 audio files; 1 text file |
| Place | Stanford (Calif.) |
| Publisher | Stanford Historical Society |
| Date created | July 1, 2022 - July 22, 2022 |
| Language | English |
| Digital origin | born digital |
Creators/Contributors
| Interviewee | Shaw, Don | |
|---|---|---|
| Creator | Shaw, Don | |
| Interviewer | Porras, Jerry I. | |
| Publisher | Stanford Historical Society |
Subjects
| Subject | Stanford University |
|---|---|
| Subject | Stanford University. Department of Athletics |
| Subject | Volleyball coaches |
| Genre | Interview |
Bibliographic information
| Biographical Profile | Don Shaw spent sixteen years as the Stanford women’s head coach (1984-99), during which he led the team to unparalleled success. Shaw guided the Cardinal to four NCAA championships (1992, 1994, 1996, 1997) and ten conference titles, including six Pac-10 crowns in a row between 1994 and 1999. Shaw compiled a career winning percentage of .863 (440-70), which still ranks as the best in NCAA Division I history (minimum 10 years), and coached fifteen players to 35 AVCA (American Volleyball Coaches Association.) All-America awards. In NCAA Tournament action, he tallied a record of 50-12, guiding Stanford to twelve Final Fours and eight NCAA championship matches in sixteen seasons. He was named AVCA National Coach of the Year in 1991 and took home Volleyball Magazine National Coach of the Year honors in 1997. Additionally, he was Regional/District Coach of the Year three times (1991, 1994, 1997) and a four-time conference coach of the year (1985, 1987, 1991, 1997). A former USA National Team member and professional player, Shaw worked with both the USA programs as an advisor and developmental coach as well as an assistant for the U.S. Women's Team at the 1991 Pan American Games in Havana, Cuba. He began his Stanford coaching career in 1980 as an assistant coach of both the men's and women’s teams under Fred Sturm. He was then named co-head coach of both programs in 1984 for two seasons. In 1986, Sturm moved to the men’s side only and Shaw took sole control of the women’s program. He guided the Cardinal through fourteen more successful seasons until retiring from the women's program in 1999. In 2001, he returned to lead the Stanford men’s program. In six seasons as head men's coach, Shaw collected a 90-79 (.533) record. In December 2008, he was inducted into the AVCA Hall of Fame and in November 2011, he became a member of the Stanford Athletics Hall of Fame. |
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| Transcript |
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| Finding Aid | |
| Location | https://purl.stanford.edu/hw008vp0081 |
| Location | SC0932 |
| Repository | Stanford University. Libraries. Department of Special Collections and University Archives |
Access conditions
- Use and reproduction
- The materials are open for research use and may be used freely for non-commercial purposes with an attribution. For commercial permission requests, please contact the Stanford University Archives (universityarchives@stanford.edu).
- Copyright
- Copyright © The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University. All rights reserved.
Collection
Stanford Historical Society Oral History Program interviews, 1999-2022
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