Lee Shaw, who retired from coaching in 2018 after winning his fifth straight region title at alma mater Rabun County, was hired Monday to become head football coach at Lakeview Academy, a private school in Gainesville.
Shaw, 54, is returning to Hall County, where he started the Flowery Branch football program in 2002 and built it into a perennial playoff qualifier. Shaw led Rabun County and Flowery Branch to the first state finals appearances in those schools’ histories.
Shaw retired at Rabun after seven seasons and was replaced by his son Jaybo Shaw, who had been his quarterback at Flowery Branch and offensive coordinator at Rabun.
‘’I started out watching games from the stands last season at Rabun County, then I ended up standing along the fence, then I was on the field, then I ended up in the coaches box,’’ Shaw said. “And the night I tried to call a timeout I figured maybe it was time to get back into coaching,”
Lakeview’s head coach through the program’s 13-season existence has been Matthew Gruhn, who stepped down in December. The first seven seasons were played against a non-region schedule. Lakeview has never made the playoffs or won more than three games while playing a region schedule.
After years of playing in Region 8-A with state powers Prince Avenue Christian and Athens Academy, the Lions are moving to Region 6-A in 2020 and will compete against teams from Fulton and Forsyth counties. Fellowship Christian, the 2019 champion, returns.
Shaw’s record in 22 seasons at three schools is 163-94. He also coached at White County from 1995 to 1999.
Shaw is perhaps best known for developing quarterbacks. He developed five that have become first-team all-state performers including sons Jaybo and Connor and current Rabun County quarterback Gunner Stockton as a freshman in 2018.
About the Author
