Rejuvenated Jaedyn Shaw readies for NWSL playoff clash vs. ex-team

Gotham FC coach Juan Carlos Amorós eased midfielder Jaedyn Shaw’s nerves earlier this season before a match against the Kansas City Current with a seemingly casual observation. 

He told her how much he likes when she dribbles and shoots the ball regardless of whether it finds the back of the net. 

Shaw giggled Friday morning as she recalled how assuring that moment was for her. She took it as Amorós giving her the green light to be true to her game against the NWSL’s best team. She could dribble more and take players on, be bold and assume more risks — a part of her personal style that she had gone away from. 

“[I was] telling myself, like, ‘OK, you see Midge [Purce] doing it every time, and maybe she loses the ball, but she’s gonna do it again with confidence.’ And same with Rose [Lavelle], she does those things as well,” Shaw told The Post. “And so [it got] me starting to feel more comfortable and back to the way that I know I can play.” 

Gotham helped Shaw get back to playing like “Little Jae.” The club emboldened her to play with freedom and creativity. And it’s allowed her to thrive after she experienced a challenging few months that eventually led to her record $1.25 million transfer from the North Carolina Courage to Gotham in September. 

“I feel really valued and confident and seen in this environment,” Shaw said. “Just having fun ultimately. I think this year, it was kind of a rollercoaster, but even still, at the Courage, toward the end of my time there, I was trending in an upward path…. Being with Gotham, I think they just accelerated that process, and just made me feel really seen and valued from the beginning.” 

It wasn’t too long ago Shaw felt somewhat lost. The pressure she felt to live up to the hype after joining the Courage in January consumed her. She struggled on the pitch and her confidence wavered. She posted just one assist and three goals in 19 matches. 

Shaw also fell out of the U.S. Women’s National Team’s rotation. 

She needed a fresh start and a new environment. The idea of playing alongside Lavelle excited her. 

And Amorós knew Shaw was capable of much more than she’d shown this season. 

“She’s a player we really believed in,” Amorós said. “We thought she was very special.” 

Gotham’s environment and emphasis on individualized training helped her get back on track this season and earned her a spot with the senior team this month during their recent friendlies. 

“I always told myself I played better with a smile on my face, and I think it’s hard not to in the environment with Gotham,” Shaw said. “Playing alongside players that aren’t afraid to take risks, aren’t afraid to go at someone that play with a certain swag, certain confidence about them, is something that… was kind of my identity when I was younger. 

“I think for me, I was getting away from that a little bit. It wasn’t something that I was focusing on, wasn’t really something that I even really thought about as far as me as a player. And I think now that I’m starting to get a little older, and kind of figuring out who I am as, like, one, a person outside of the field and also, like what I want people to remember me as a player.” 

Shaw said she’s excited to face her former team in Sunday’s regular-season finale that has playoff implications. 

“I think there’s no bad blood or anything, at least on my side,” Shaw said. “They’re a good team, and yeah, I feel like it’s just going to be a good game. And I think there’s a lot on the line. 

“So just going into the game like any other game and not letting the emotions get too high end or doing anything specific just because that’s my former team. Like I think I’m going to come into the game exactly the same way I do every other game.” 

The Courage are fighting to keep their season alive as they’re currently the first team out of the playoff picture. Gotham clinched a postseason berth in their last game, but their seeding hasn’t been finalized. 

In order to host a quarterfinal match, Gotham not only has to beat the Courage but they also need Kansas City to beat or tie San Diego and Houston to beat or tie Portland. 

“For us, I think it’s a relief that we don’t have to look at, ‘Oh, how do we clinch? Did we clinch?’ because we’re in the playoffs,” Amorós said. “Now it’s a question of let’s get the highest seed possible and go from there.”