Andy Shaw planned all along to become a head basketball coach. It was in his future but he knew he had to serve his time at the assistant coaching level.
Shaw just completed his first year as assistant coach for the Allen Community College men’s basketball team. Now, the 24-year-old Oklahoma native is the Red Devil head coach.
“It came quicker than expected but I’m embracing this opportunity,” Shaw said. “I’m very excited and didn’t really see it coming at this time.”
Shaw had served as a student assistant and two years as a graduate assistant coach at Oklahoma State before taking the assistant’s position here at Allen. He said he was told by an OSU assistant “you always act as an assistant coach but think like a head coach because you never know when you might have to step up and be the head coach. That hit home with me.”
Shaw was assistant to Anwar Perry this past season. Perry resigned in March to pursue other interests after two years as ACC’s head coach and five years at Allen.
Shaw played for Santa Fe High School in Edmond, Okla., helping his team to a state championship in Class 6A as a junior. He graduated in 2006, and Santa Fe High was runner-up at the state basketball team that year.
Shaw said he went to Oklahoma State University in Stillwater as an “invited” walk-on. He was a member of the Cowboy basketball team for two years with Sean Sutton as his head coach.
Shaw became a student assistant his third year at OSU then was a graduate assistant for the team the next two years. He earned a bachelor’s degree in health promotions in 2009 and completed his masters degree in educational psychology last summer.
“It came so quickly but I’ve been keeping in contact with all the kids I had been recruiting for the Allen program throughout the year. I’ve been working on building my network in Kansas by talking to coaches,” Shaw said.
“We’ve signed a few good players and are still looking for more.”
The Red Devils are coming off a 14-17 season. They were 8-10 in the Jayhawk Eastern Division.
“We have four or five players planning to return from this year’s squad. I’m looking for shooters. I was a guard and plan to model my team after the Oklahoma State team. That means its going to be up tempo and fun to watch. I want it fun for the players,” Shaw said.
That doesn’t mean the Red Devils won’t be playing defense under Shaw.
“As all coaches will tell you, defense wins games. Defense wins championships. You have to make stops defensively to be successful,” Shaw said. “Defense and your intensity level are facets of the game that should be constant for a team. There will be nights you don’t shoot well but you can give yourself opportunities to win by playing well defensively and playing with great intensity the full game.”
Shaw said his immediate focus in player personnel was on finding a strong point guard and recruiting another big man inside. He said how the team plays will be determined on the players that are here in August when school begins.
