Stanley was born in Kansas City, Missouri, and attended Southeast High School.
[1] He played college football for Missouri Valley as a fullback in the team's single wing offense.
[10] In 1971, he was hired as the first head football coach for the newly opened Winnetonka High School.
During his tenure as head coach he ran the Delaware Wing-T, single-wing, and wishbone offenses.
His retirement was short-lived as he was hired as the special teams coordinator and running backs coach for William Jewell in 1995.
His best season came in 1999 when he led the team to a 9–3 record, a Heart of America Athletic Conference (HAAC) title, and a playoff berth.
[16][17] Stanley returned to coaching sometime after he resigned from Missouri Valley as he was an assistant for Shawnee Mission North High School.