Metter coach Lee Shaw retires after 31 seasons of high school football

Lee Shaw, the head football coach at Metter, announced his retirement on Monday.

Shaw cited health issues as the primary reason for his decision. He was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2017 while coaching at Rabun County. The symptoms remained manageable for several years, but Shaw said the condition became a major challenge this spring. He missed several games during the 2026 season and concluded that he could no longer perform to his own standards.

“I just came to the conclusion that I wasn’t able to coach the way I wanted to coach,” Shaw said. “The last thing I wanted to do was to cheat the team and the program and the game.”

Shaw finished his 31st season as a head coach with Metter in 2025. He led the team to a fourth-place finish in the region. His career spanned 41 years of coaching and administration, including 10 years at Rabun County, two years at Anna, and one year at Tate. He also served as an athletic director.

Throughout his career, Shaw won region titles at three separate schools. He coached Gunner Stockton at Rabun County from 2017 to 2018, guiding the team to a state championship. He later coached Stockton at Flowery Branch, where they won the state title in 2020. Shaw also served as head coach at Flowery Branch High School from 2002 to 2008, leading the team to a state championship and a semifinal appearance.

Shaw joined the AJC in 2025. He is a co-founder and editor of Georgia High School Football Daily. He has worked with the AJC in various capacities since 1985.

Shaw said he is grateful for the support he received from families and friends. “I had some good football coaching days,” he said. “I have been a teacher and a coach. I have been a father. I have been a husband. I have been a son. I have been a grandson. I have been a coach. I have been a teacher. I have been a coach.”