Helping Women’s Basketball Coaches Thrive In Their Careers, with Brian Stanchak

Beyond The Whistle with Odell McCants

It’s not often that you find a professional who has served in most of the roles that make up their field of specialization. Brian Stanchak has been a Division I basketball coach, collegiate Director of Athletics and now a sports agent specializing in representing college basketball coaches - which makes him not only a rare person in the realm of college athletics but also a very valuable commodity. But for Brian, it’s not only about the services he provides. He is committed to getting to know his clients and building relationships that serve them throughout their careers, not just when they need representation. Brian generously shares both his story and his advice for women’s basketball coaches and those wanting to break into the field, on this episode of Beyond The Whistle.

The road from average player, to coach, to agent for women’s basketball coaches.

When Brian Stanchak was playing basketball he knew that his talent was average at best, but he loved the sport all the same. He determined at 16 years of age that he was going to pursue a career in sports and began coaching basketball then. He had the opportunity to serve as an assistant and eventually head coach on the collegiate level as well, gaining experience on and off the court. One of the opportunities where he discovered a hidden talent was helping colleagues navigate the negotiations and contract talks, career path, and more. That’s when he decided to move into the realm of serving as an agent, and The BDS Agency was born. Brian shares his story on this episode, so be sure you listen.

Specializing in women’s basketball coaches makes Brian Stanchak a valuable resource.

There are many agents out there serving college coaches, but most pursue the avenues where the most money is to be made, which is primarily in men’s basketball. But Brian Stanchak decided to focus on the underserved area of women’s basketball coaches and has found a niche that has served both him and his clients very well. In this episode, Brian shares the unique challenges and opportunities presented to women’s basketball coaches and how he’s found his place helping them walk the career path less traveled, but one that is just as rewarding.

Moving through the minefield of a coaching career, it’s good to have some help.

Brian Stanchak loves the opportunity he has to walk alongside his clients as they move through the negotiations and pitfalls involved in being a women’s basketball coach. As much as he enjoys the challenges of his actual work, even more, he enjoys the relationships he has built with his clients. I’ve noticed how his clients remark on social media about their appreciation of him and the things he does to build into them as individuals. That’s unheard of in sports, so I know you’ll want to meet the man those clients are talking about. Brian shares his story and advice on this episode.

Assistant coaches: Spend 25 minutes a day networking.

One of the things I asked Brian Stanchak was how an assistant coach, whose job is to make their head coach successful, can also pursue their own career goals to become a head coach themselves. Brian gave some great advice when he said that every assistant coach should devote time every week to maintaining their professional network, not for the sake of finding new opportunities necessarily, but for the sake of maintaining relationships. It’s those relationships that will serve later when the need arises. Brian has seen the success of this heart-based approach work for his clients time and time again. Learn more from this player, turned coach, turned agent, on this episode of Beyond The Whistle.

Outline of This Episode

• [2:15] A day in the life of a college coach consultant.
• [3:30] Brian’s journey from player to coach to consultant to coaches.
• [8:36] The services Brian provides to his coaching clients.
• [10:05] How service and relationships und