LOUISIANA ROUXGAROUX
PROFESSIONAL ARENA FOOTBALL TEAM
ROUX WEEKLY - Meet the Head Coach
Photo: Head Coach Shaw (Right) sits down with team General Manager Steve Walters (Left).
2022 NAL Coach of the Year Settles in as Head Coach of the Rouxgaroux
BOSSIER CITY, LA -The Louisiana Rouxgaroux made a lot of moves during the offseason, perhaps none bigger than their headline signing of one of the National Arena League's top coaches, Fred Shaw.
Shaw has been coaching in the National Arena League since 2022, when he became the head coach of the San Antonio Gunslingers expansion franchise. In his first season, he earned NAL Head Coach of the Year honors. In 2023, he guided the Gunslingers to their best season to date, posting an 8-3 regular-season record and leading the franchise to its first-ever NAL playoff berth.
In 2024, Shaw took over as head coach of the Colorado Spartans during the organization's inaugural season. The following year, he led Colorado to a 7-2 regular-season record atop of the NAL standings, securing the No. 1 seed and a home playoff game. After three seasons as a head coach and back-to-back playoff appearances, Shaw and the Spartans parted ways, making Louisiana the ideal next destination for one of the NAL's longest-tenured active head coaches.
Prior to his coaching career, Fred Shaw was a standout athlete and an All-State football player at Shawnee High School in Oklahoma, where he also played basketball. At the collegiate level, Shaw was a versatile two-way player at the University of Central Oklahoma, starting at both defensive back and wide receiver. He earned First Team All-LSC honors on both offense and defense during his senior year.
Shaw transitioned to arena football in the Arena Football League (AFL), where he played seven seasons primarily as a defensive back and kick returner. During his professional career, he suited up for the Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz, Tulsa Talons, Philadelphia Soul, Cleveland Gladiators, and San Antonio Talons from 2010-2015. In 2012, Shaw earned Second Team All-Arena honors while playing for San Antonio.
Since joining the Rouxgaroux, Coach Shaw has hit the ground running, securing key additions to Louisiana's roster while also assembling his coaching staff. Recently, Shaw appeared on Around the NAL, where he provided fans with insight into why he chose Louisiana and shared his mindset heading into the upcoming season.
With an impressive resume as both a coach and player, Louisiana looks for Shaw to bring the same winning culture he's brought to the previous teams he led.
Around the NAL: What's it been like going down to the Louisiana and acclimating yourself in the community?
"It's amazing, the people are friendly and they know the Rouxgaroux, I feel like all we need to do here is change losses into wins that's my only goal and we'll gain more fans like that."
Around the NAL: What your thoughts on Defense?
"We are going to bring a hard-nosed defense we brought in Coach Richardson a very talented defensive coordinator and he's going to us in a good position. With my help as well, I'm a defensive minded coach, so were going to put our minds together and we are going to succeed.
Around the NAL: Who else have you brought on to your staff so far?
"Coach Blair, who was head coach here last year, he's going to help us tremendously. Coach Will on the defensive side, we got a great group, this is the first time in my career I have a full coaching staff, I've coached solo for the last four years so now I have a opportunity to have a defensive coach and some assistant coaches my only goal now is to dominate the league."