Rick Stainton was named the Head Coach of the Fairleigh Dickinson University women’s soccer program on Jan. 11, 2012. Stainton joined the Knights after serving as an assistant coach for the Seton Hall University women’s soccer program for two years.
As an assistant at Seton Hall, Stainton was responsible for team development in the areas of recruiting, strategy development, training instruction and match organization. He also managed recruiting, team travel and the team’s budget.
Prior to his time with the Pirates, Stainton amassed an impressive resume with women’s soccer experience at the youth and professional levels as well as several stints in athletic administration.
The New Jersey native served as the assistant athletics director for facilities and operations at Seton Hall for more than two years.
In 2009, Stainton joined the staff of Sky Blue FC, a women’s professional soccer team.
In his role at Sky Blue FC, Stainton was responsible for all aspects of goalkeeper development as well as the development and implementation of off-season training programs, prospect identification, team travel coordination, equipment management and camp instruction.
Stainton was promoted to head coach of Sky Blue FC in July of 2009. As head coach he managed day-to-day operations of the organization including the scouting of opponents, developing strategy, daily business management as well as handling player transactions and negotiations.
At Sky Blue FC, Stainton coached many of the best and brightest internationally renowned players. U.S. National Team members Tobin Heath, Carli Lloyd, Heather O'Reilly and Christie Rampone all benefited from his guidance. In all, 12 players who competed in the 2011 Women's World Cup were coached by Stainton.
In addition to his administrative work at Seton Hall, Stainton also spent three years as the director of athletics at Saint Rose High School in Belmar, N.J. He currently serves as the owner and president of Stainton Sport Enterprises, a sports service business that specializes in all aspects of athletic logistics including instruction and training.
Stainton holds a United States Soccer Federation (USSF) "A" License and a National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Premier Diploma, as well as a NSCAA National Goalkeeping Diploma.
Prior to his collegiate coaching experience, Stainton served as an assistant coach for the boy’s varsity soccer team at Brick Memorial High School for five years and has previous coaching experience at Rider University, Caldwell College and Green Mountain College, his alma mater.
As a 1998 graduate of Green Mountain College, Stainton was inducted into the Eagles' Athletic Hall of Fame in the fall of 2012.
Stainton and his wife, Amy, have two daughters and currently reside in Brick, N.J.
