Adam Shackleford

Year:

2nd
Title:

President of Football Operations / Director of Scouting / Defensive Coordinator

Bio

In 2026, Shackleford was promoted to President of Football Operations for the Strikeforce.

Shackleford will also resume his role as Director of Scouting and will take leadership as the Defensive Coordinator for the Strike Force this season. He brings over 27 years of experience and an overall record of 149-47 as a head coach during his time between the Indoor Football League and the Arena Football League, over his career inside the walls.

Following his playing career at Anderson University in Indianapolis, Indiana, Shackleford stepped into his first coaching role as an Offensive Assistant for his alma mater. He started working with tight ends, and then was the team’s Offensive Line Coach from 1999 to 2006.

His first experience in the indoor game was with the AF2’s Cincinnati Swarm in 2003, where he served as the Offensive Line Coach and Director of Football Operations. In 2004, he joined the Louisville Fire as the Offensive Coordinator and Assistant Head Coach until 2006.

Shackleford made his way west in 2007 and became the head coach of the AF2’s Spokane Shock. Over his three seasons with the team, they went 50-7 with three playoff appearances, two conference championship wins, and culminating in a 2009 Arena Cup Championship.

In 2010, Shackleford became the Head Coach of the Tri-Cities Fever of the Indoor Football League, just a few hours south of Spokane. There he continued his winning ways as he led the Fever to six consecutive playoff appearances, two conference titles, and two United Bowl Championship appearances.

In 2013, he recorded his 100th career win.

He returned to Spokane in 2016 as the Shock transitioned to the Indoor Football League as the re-branded Spokane Empire. In his first two seasons, he led the team to a Western Conference Championship and a United Bowl championship appearance.

After the Spokane franchise went into dormancy, Shackleford joined the Nebraska Danger in 2018 before taking a break from coaching to focus on family and begin his career as a co-host and analyst for SWX-TV in Spokane covering high school sports while continuing to collaborate with active indoor coaches and franchises in player personnel and coaching development.

Shackleford made his return to the indoor game in 2022-23 as the director of player personnel for the IFL’s Frisco Fighters where he helped the franchise to a 30-6 record and two conference championship appearances.

In 2024, he joined the Nashville Kats as the Assistant Head Coach and Director of Player Personnel in the reboot of the Arena Football League.

During the offseason, Shackleford continues to serve as a college football TV analyst for SWX-TV and ESPN broadcasts covering Eastern Washington University and the University of Idaho in the Big Sky Conference. He is also the owner of Gridiron Enterprises LLC. a company that advises high school football players through the college recruiting process and NIL opportunities.

Shackleford resides in Spokane, WA with his wife Migdalia and his two sons, Elijah (18) and Caleb (16).