Gotham FC coach Juan Carlos Amorós eased midfielder Jaedyn Shaw’s nerves earlier this season earlier than a match in opposition to the Kansas Metropolis Present with a seemingly informal statement.
He informed her how a lot he likes when she dribbles and shoots the ball no matter whether or not it finds the again of the online.
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Shaw giggled Friday morning as she recalled how assuring that second was for her. She took it as Amorós giving her the inexperienced gentle to be true to her recreation in opposition to the NWSL’s finest workforce. She might dribble extra and take gamers on, be daring and assume extra dangers — part of her private fashion that she had gone away from.
Jaedyn Shaw throughout a match in opposition to the Kansas Metropolis Present at CPKC Stadium on Oct. 11, 2025 in Kansas Metropolis. NWSL by way of Getty Photos
“[I was] telling myself, like, ‘OK, you see Midge [Purce] doing it each time, and possibly she loses the ball, however she’s gonna do it once more with confidence.’ And similar with Rose [Lavelle], she does these issues as nicely,” Shaw informed The Publish. “And so [it got] me beginning to really feel extra snug and again to the way in which that I do know I can play.”
Gotham helped Shaw get again to enjoying like “Little Jae.” The membership emboldened her to play with freedom and creativity. And it’s allowed her to thrive after she skilled a difficult few months that ultimately led to her report $1.25 million switch from the North Carolina Braveness to Gotham in September.
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“I really feel actually valued and assured and seen on this setting,” Shaw mentioned. “Simply having enjoyable in the end. I feel this yr, it was form of a rollercoaster, however even nonetheless, on the Braveness, towards the tip of my time there, I used to be trending in an upward path…. Being with Gotham, I feel they simply accelerated that course of, and simply made me really feel actually seen and valued from the start.”
It wasn’t too way back Shaw felt considerably misplaced. The strain she felt to stay as much as the hype after becoming a member of the Braveness in January consumed her. She struggled on the pitch and her confidence wavered. She posted only one help and three objectives in 19 matches.
Shaw additionally fell out of the U.S. Ladies’s Nationwide Staff’s rotation.
She wanted a recent begin and a brand new setting. The concept of enjoying alongside Lavelle excited her.
Jaedyn Shaw (8) of Staff USA and Milly Clegg (9) of New Zealand compete for the ball through the second half of the match at CPKC Stadium on Oct. 29, 2025 in Kansas Metropolis. Getty Photos
And Amorós knew Shaw was able to way more than she’d proven this season.
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“She’s a participant we actually believed in,” Amorós mentioned. “We thought she was very particular.”
Gotham’s setting and emphasis on individualized coaching helped her get again on monitor this season and earned her a spot with the senior workforce this month throughout their current friendlies.
“I at all times informed myself I performed higher with a smile on my face, and I feel it’s onerous to not within the setting with Gotham,” Shaw mentioned. “Taking part in alongside gamers that aren’t afraid to take dangers, aren’t afraid to go at somebody that play with a sure swag, sure confidence about them, is one thing that… was form of my id after I was youthful.
“I feel for me, I used to be getting away from that a bit bit. It wasn’t one thing that I used to be specializing in, wasn’t actually one thing that I even actually considered so far as me as a participant. And I feel now that I’m beginning to get a bit older, and form of determining who I’m as, like, one, an individual outdoors of the sector and in addition, like what I would like folks to recollect me as a participant.”
Jaedyn Shaw shoots through the NWSL match between NJ/NY Gotham FC and Racing Louisville at Sports activities Illustrated Stadium on Oct. 19, 2025. NWSL by way of Getty Photos
Shaw mentioned she’s excited to face her former workforce in Sunday’s regular-season finale that has playoff implications.
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“I feel there’s no unhealthy blood or something, a minimum of on my aspect,” Shaw mentioned. “They’re workforce, and yeah, I really feel prefer it’s simply going to be recreation. And I feel there’s loads on the road.
“So simply going into the sport like some other recreation and never letting the feelings get too excessive finish or doing something particular simply because that’s my former workforce. Like I feel I’m going to return into the sport precisely the identical approach I do each different recreation.”
The Braveness are combating to maintain their season alive as they’re presently the primary workforce out of the playoff image. Gotham clinched a postseason berth of their final recreation, however their seeding hasn’t been finalized.
With a purpose to host a quarterfinal match, Gotham not solely has to beat the Braveness however additionally they want Kansas Metropolis to beat or tie San Diego and Houston to beat or tie Portland.
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“For us, I feel it’s a aid that we don’t have to have a look at, ‘Oh, how can we clinch? Did we clinch?’ as a result of we’re within the playoffs,” Amorós mentioned. “Now it’s a query of let’s get the very best seed attainable and go from there.”
