Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month Spotlight: Jaedyn Shaw
The now 19-year-old Shaw started playing soccer at the age of four but took to the sport in a somewhat unique fashion, falling in love with the ball not on a grass field but on the futsal court. Shaw honed her skills and vision playing futsal before slowly shifting her focus to 11-v-11 around the age of 12, and she would go on to represent both the Solar Soccer Club and FC Dallas.
Beyond her statistical achievements, Shaw has also made history as the first Vietnamese American to represent the USWNT. As U.S. Soccer celebrates Asian American and Pacific Islander Month, Shaw’s background, which blends the Vietnamese heritage of her mother and African-American lineage from her father, adds depth to her infectious personality and – coupled with her dynamic skill – has quickly made her a fan favorite for club and country.
"Being the first Vietnamese American on the U.S. Women’s national team is a complete honor,” Shaw said. “I think being able to represent this jersey at all is an honor, but being able to represent more than that is a really cool opportunity for me to inspire little girls that may have similar heritage as me. It’s very motivating for me to work as hard as I can to be successful.”
While Shaw’s journey on the world stage is just beginning, she has already established herself as a trailblazer and a representative of the dynamic, diverse and inclusive wave of young talent developing across the U.S. Soccer ecosystem.
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