Northwest Missouri State Athletics

At the beginning of Tyler Shaw's Northwest career he served his time as a redshirt wide receiver, meaning he didn't travel or dress with the team. He didn't see any field action during this time, but yet his freshmen year was record-setting by means of his pursuit of gold on the track.

While he would wait on his success on the football field to come, the track and field success was immediate as he clinched all-America status before he played a down of football.

Shaw lived by the model of success when he participated in both Northwest football and track and field. He pushed himself every day with a mindset that taught him, to be the best you have to train like the best.

"It (his accomplishments) was all on my fuel to compete," Shaw said. "I was fortunate to have a lot of good coaches and staff to keep my mind on the things that it needed to be on."

As a multi-sport athlete Shaw competed at a high level as the culture of success flowed through his veins. In football he used his track speed to grab all-MIAA honors in his junior and senior years. With track and field he was able focus his speed and vertical to garner a reputation in the hurdling events. To go along with his six all-American accolades, he still holds records at Northwest in the 60-meter hurdles and 110-meter hurdles.

To be successful Shaw knew that he could not put any sport before another and he had to focus his mind on one sport at a time.

"I could never weigh one over the other," Shaw said. "If I did, I would probably focus more on that than I did with football. I kept them equally as important to me… because if I did, most likely I would end up being a one sport athlete meaning I would basically have to give up one of my passions."

Sacrifices were needed to gain success and Shaw made those happen to accomplish his goals in both sports.

"At times it could be stressful going from two sports, missing out on some spring practices or going out from track practice to one of the spring practices," Shaw said. "To not be able to be with some of the guys during the offseason because I'm traveling, it could be stressful at times and could be tiresome at times."

Now Shaw is receiving the highest honor he can as a former Northwest athlete as he is inducted into the M-club Hall of Fame. For him this honor came as a surprise, but his accomplishments speak for himself as joins the ranks of Northwest elitism.

"It was very unexpected for me, because when I left the school, I didn't think I had done that much to be recognized," Shaw said. "Once I got over the shock and surprise about being in the hall of fame, I was overjoyed by it."