When it comes to Lynnfield tennis and Lynnfield-North Reading wrestling coach Craig Stone, it’s hard to find a box that hasn’t been checked. From conference titles, to state championships, and to several Boston Globe Coach of the Year awards in both sports, it truly is a challenge.
Well, he picked up another accomplishment Saturday morning. Stone reached 1,200 wins (between both sports) during his team’s wrestling match at Malden Catholic High.
The ever-so-humble Stone, who still wonders if he made it into coaching “because I was the only applicant,” said the number – or any of them, really– was never his goal.
“I wanted the kids to just get a win,” Stone said. “I was more excited about that situation.”
James Fodera (182 pounds) was the wrestler who picked up the win for his head coach. Stone said he thinks, maybe, three people in the world knew it was win number 1,200. And even with the wrestler who got it done, Stone was right.
“No, I had no idea,” Fodera said.
That said, Fordera is appreciative of his head coach and feels the accomplishment is well-deserved.
“I’m proud of him,” Fodera said. “Coach and his staff work hard and are dedicated to coaching this young, talented group of wrestlers.”
In 1972, while Stone was at the University of Oregon, he got a call about a job opening in Lynnfield for physical education. To this day, it’s still the only job interview Stone has ever had.
And what an interview it was – one that led to two coaching legacies and countless relationships. Stone said the students, parents, administrators, and members of the community have been the difference in his “surreal” experience.
“It’s [the community] very positive and very receptive,” Stone said. “It’s just been a collection of people at all levels. I’ve been fortunate to work in a community that’s very supportive.”
When asked about a favorite match or meet, Stone couldn’t pick one, saying it’s “a compilation of a lot of experiences and a lot of alumni.”
What was once an old mudroom in the Stone household has turned into a room full of newspaper clippings and other memorabilia.
“I just so much enjoy reading the alumni names,” Stone said. “A lot of them come back to say hi and update me on their families and their experiences.”
Stone retired from physical education in 2016. Nowadays, he watches his grandson a few days a week and when he goes to practice, he’ll say he’s headed to “tiny work.”
But that tiny work continues to create big memories.
“It’s still the excitement of watching a student-athlete pick up a new skill, start to master it, and watch them experience it,” Stone said. “I never thought to myself that ‘I’m going to hang in there for 47 years.’”
Stone has the third most wins (638 in tennis, 562 in wrestling) in state history behind Vi Goodnow (Frontier; 1,224 wins) and Emile Johnson (Leominster; 1,250 wins), but in the end, it’s all about the kids. Stone continues to coach with one everlasting goal in mind.
“To affect in a positive way,” Stone said.
