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Jaedyn Shaw is just 18 years old, but she’s quickly becoming a breakout star in the NWSL.
So far this season, the San Diego Wave forward has three goals, equaling her total from last season. She also possesses a lethal passing ability that has enabled her teammates to score — including Sofia Jakobsson, who found the net in San Diego’s 1-1 draw Friday with the Portland Thorns.
She's been knocking on the door all night... Sofia Jakobsson finally gets her goal!! And that pass from Jaedyn Shaw 🤩 pic.twitter.com/2y9UH4s24M— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) May 27, 2023
She's been knocking on the door all night... Sofia Jakobsson finally gets her goal!! And that pass from Jaedyn Shaw 🤩 pic.twitter.com/2y9UH4s24M
“Jaedyn’s vision and ability to pick a pass that breaks a back line is some of the best I’ve seen in the game,” Wave head coach Casey Stoney said after that game. “And I’ve been in the game a long time.”
San Diego signed Shaw in the middle of the 2022 season via an exception to the NWSL’s discovery rules. She scored a goal in each of her first three games in the league, and she is in the midst of a sophomore surge.
With a talent like Shaw, the key is getting her the space to do what she does so naturally.
“It’s getting her in the right positions to be able to pick the ball up,” Stoney continued. “And then we need threats behind. It was a great pass.”
The Wave also want to keep pressure off the teenager and ensure the entire team is helping to create scoring chances. From there, Shaw can let loose and do what she does best.
“We knew that we’d also create chances in behind, which we did with Alex (Morgan) one ball behind. And we did it with their backlines susceptible to that,” Stoney said. “So we knew that overall would give us a chance to score goals.”