Jason Shaughnessy

Jason began wrestling in fifth grade and finished his scholastic career at Lakeland Regional High School in Wanaque, New Jersey, as a senior captain. He continued wrestling at Springfield College where he wrestled for Hall of Fame coach, Daryl Arroyo. Jason was a four-year varsity wrestler and senior captain, capturing Academic All-American honors. Jason also earned his master's degree at Springfield College, where he was a teaching fellow and assistant coach.

Jason started coaching in Fairfield in November 1997 at Fairfield High School and over the next 22 years rebuilt wrestling in Fairfield. He has led Fairfield Warde to three Class L titles (2006, 2009, 2010) and a FCIAC championship in 2010, snapping a 23-year Danbury winning streak at the conference tournament. Jason’s teams teams have finished second in the state (Class LL or Class L) seven times and have been been ranked in the year-end top 10 coaches poll 17 times.

In 2019, Jason became just the tenth coach in state history to win 400 career matches. His teams are 404-92 since he began coaching at Fairfield High and then at Fairfield Warde in 2005.

In 1997, he founded the Fairfield PAL (Police Athletic League) wrestling program and has run it since that time. The Fairfield PAL wrestling program provides opportunities for elementary and middle school students in Fairfield to become involved in wrestling – a building block for his program at Warde and cross-town rival Fairfield Ludlowe.

When Jason is not coaching his son at Fairfield Warde, he spends his time coaching his daughters on the soccer field. Jason live in Fairfield with his wife Karin, and children Cole, Emma, and Paige.

Published by the Connecticut Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, April 2019
Profile photo taken April 2019

Awards:

Year
2019
Award
Lifetime Service to Wrestling
Chapter/Region
Connecticut

Our Mission: To honor the sport of wrestling by preserving its history, recognizing extraordinary individual achievements, and inspiring future generations