When Brian Stanchak Class of ’04, attended Seton Hall more than a decade ago, he studied sports management. This degree provided him with the educational foundation to found the nation’s leading women’s basketball agency.
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Photo courtesy of Brian Stanchak[/caption]
“I feel like I was one of the few students who did not want to be an agent at that time so I can’t say that I ever set out to become an agent,” Stanchak said. “My culmination of experiences following graduation led me into the profession.”
With 15 years of combined experience and dedication to helping others as an athletic director and Division I basketball coach at schools like Seton Hall, Fairleigh Dickinson University, and the University of Pennsylvania, he realized that no one would ever pay him an amount equivalent to his hard work.
The BDS Agency, which uses Stanchak’s initials for its title, was created in 2013.
“I have real-life, hands-on experience in the fields of the coaches I represent and the administrators I interact with during the search process and when negotiating my client’s contracts,” Stanchak said. “Having the experience and an expertise that can be truly beneficial to coaches has allowed me to establish and grow my agency.”
Jada Pierce, one of Stanchak’s early clients and current women’s basketball head coach at Niagra University, has known Stanchak since his days as an assistant coach at Fairleigh Dickinson University.
“Even back then Brian was committed to daily excellence with a tireless work ethic,” Pierce wrote in an email. “We hit it off right away because we both were in coaching for the right reasons [student athlete experience along with teaching about life after basketball]. Brian has worked tirelessly not only for myself, but for all of his clients in The BDS Agency. We are not just his clients…we are his family too!”
Current SHU women’s basketball head coach Tony Bozzella studied business management and communications at The Hall. Bozzella is currently a client of Stanchak’s and admires his work ethic as well as unique ability to connect with his clientele.
“I am always looking to do better in my job,” Bozzella said. “I use Brian’s expertise to help hire new assistants myself.”
Bozzella said what makes Stanchak special is that as a former coach he knows what services he would have wanted for himself if he were to work with an agent and applies it to his agency.
Stanchak is dedicated to providing opportunities to help coaches augment their career goals. His future goals for the agency adhere to his devotion to the women’s basketball community.
“I have put an emphasis on representing a niche area, women’s basketball coaches,” Stanchak said. “That has and will always remain my focus, but if there is expansion outside of women’s basketball, I can see working with coaches in other collegiate women’s sports to be an advocate for them and ensure they are maximizing the professional and financial aspects of their contract.”
Christina Vitale can be reached at Christina.mcdonaldvitale@student.shu.edu.
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