September 25, 2020

Bedwell Settles at Manchester After Coaching Around the World

Cinnamon McDonald

Manchester University has gained a new assistant football coach: Stanley Bedwell is becoming part of the community, after coming from Rochester, NY, most recently.

Bedwell has a diverse background, having coached professionally in Europe from 2006- 2019 in 11 different countries including Italy, Spain, Germany and Finland. Bedwell was proud to be named a hall of fame quarterback in Europe, as well as having won five national championships as a player. He’s also spent time as a coaching consultant in India, expanding his portfolio, and most recently spent six seasons coaching in America.

And he brings a solid record with him. Just last year Rochester was ranked 9th in NJCAA, “Of course I had an important impact with those statistics, but so did every other coach and player on our staff,” he said. “It is a TEAM effort and everyone has a role. “I was the offensive coordinator at Rochester and helped turn one of the worst offenses in the nation into one of the best,” he continued, “but we definitely could not have done that without the contribution of the other coaches on the sideline and the players on the field.”

Bedwell feels at home at MU. “Everyone has their specific role on the staff, which is important, but we all do so much more as well,” he said. “There was never a ‘new guy’ feel when I arrived. “On top of that, I am excited to have my dog, Bobby, living here on campus with me as well. It’s great for him to have so many people around to show him attention!”

What sparked his interest in MU? Bedwell states his previous school cancelled their season this year. “I was blown away by the how thorough the interview process was here,” he said. “Everyone that I spoke with was very friendly and informative. It was the people that made me most excited about becoming a Spartan! “At the moment,” he continued, “I have zero thoughts about any other positions and plan to be at Manchester indefinitely.”

Bedwell wants to devote his time to the team and the students at the university. “It’s about what I can contribute to the student-athletes we have here on campus,” he said. “It is our mission as a staff to help develop everyone involved in our football program in all aspects of life. We want them to become better students, better athletes, and most importantly, better people.

“If I had to say there was something I want to gain,” he continued, “I’d say just to build close, personal relationships with all of my work colleagues and the students. Not only do I expect to influence their lives, but I also anticipate that they will help me grow as well.”

Bedwell’s plan is to be the best he can be for the better of the students. “I hope to be an influence on them in all aspects of their lives,” he said. “I bring a lot of experience and knowledge as a football coach, but I have also lived all around the world and experienced many different situations and cultures that most people haven’t. I want to be someone that they know cares about them and that they can come to for anything at any time. I’m a firm believer in mentor leadership.”