Longtime Pulaski boys basketball coach Dave Shaw will 'live with no regrets on the home front' after wife's death
Pulaski boys basketball coach Dave Shaw told his players and their parents in a letter recently that he spent his coaching career believing in two simple phrases: Be a great teammate and tough competitor, and have no regrets.
Shaw is stepping down as the Red Raiders leader having accomplished both of those during his 14 seasons.
The Red Raiders went 203-134 during his tenure, had nine winning seasons and won a WIAA Division 2 state championship.
“It has been rewarding teaching young people about the values of these principles on and off the basketball court,” Shaw said. “It is off the court where they carry significant meaning. It is time for me to put all my energy into my off-court life. I need to be a great teammate, a tough competitor and live with no regrets on the home front. That’s exactly what I will do.”
Shaw’s wife, Amy, died Aug. 19 after a battle with cancer. The two were married for 20 years and have four children, TJ, Derek, Benny and Josey.
The oldest, TJ, graduated from Pulaski in 2022. Derek graduated this spring, and his mother got to see him score the 1,000th point of his career last season. He is a freshman guard at St. Norbert College.
“Having a wife who unconditionally supported my love for basketball was the only way this worked for so many years,” Shaw said. “The meager acknowledgement she received at the end of the year banquet never did justice to what she endured year in and year out. My wife was the perfect example of a great teammate and tough competitor, and there is no way I can repay her for this gift other than to give our children all of my attention at this time. Thank you, Amy.”
Shaw arrived at Pulaski in 2009 and cemented his legacy at the school a few seasons later when he led the Red Raiders to a state title in 2013.
It was the first team state title in any sport for Pulaski.
He brought a style of play with him after four seasons at Whitefish Bay that took some players time to adjust to.
It became known as Shaw ball, a slow-it-down system that forced opposing teams to play defense not for seconds at a time, but minutes.
When Pulaski started 3-5 in Shaw’s first season, his plan to get better was to slow things down even more on offense.
The Red Raiders responded with a 12-game winning streak. They finished the season 17-7 and runner-up in the Fox River Classic Conference.
It started a dominating run in which Pulaski went 76-17, culminating in a 48-40 state title win over Wisconsin Lutheran at the Kohl Center in March 2013 behind former stars Cody Wichmann and Jordan Stiede.
Pulaski held Lutheran to a season low in points while shooting 61.7% and scoring 30 points in the paint.
There were 1,000 fans wearing T-shirts with the “Yup” catchphrase that became popular leading up to state and still is used by Shaw a decade later.
"Coach Shaw has had success at Pulaski for so long because he is committed to the community and truly cares about his players," Wichmann said last year. "He puts in a lot of time making sure his team is always prepared and knows what it takes to win, even if that means a little patience."
Shaw grew up in a basketball family, so it only was natural he’d be a coach.
His father, Brian, was the Manitowoc boys coach from 1971 to 1990 and was inducted into the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 1994. His younger brother, Jesse, is the coach at Sheboygan South.
Whether he’s coaching or just watching his children play, it’s a good bet the sport will remain a big part of his life.
“Coaching is a privilege, and I’m thankful for the opportunities I’ve had to be a high school coach,” Shaw said. “There is nothing more rewarding than seeing your players become successful professionals, proud husbands and fathers and men of purpose. I hope GTTC (great teammate, tough competitor) and a no regrets lifestyle play a part in their journey.”
This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: Pulaski boys basketball coach Dave Shaw steps down after wife's death
