Mr. Stone: Throwing to Success
3/31/2025 8:20:00 PM | Men's Track and Field, Women's Track and Field, General
SPARTANBURG, S.C. -- When Addison Stone graduated high school, he already knew what he wanted to do with his life—teach. But his journey to the classroom took a few unexpected turns, including a stop on the USC Upstate track and field team as a collegiate thrower, a path he never could have predicted.
Stone, a native of Travelers Rest, South Carolina, is set to graduate from USC Upstate this spring. Though he is a senior academically, he is only a sophomore athletically. His road to a four-year university was not traditional but a path he wouldn't change.
"As soon as I graduated high school, I knew I wanted to be a teacher," Stone said. "I knew that was the goal. I knew I wanted to be in elementary education. I didn't have the grades for a full-ride scholarship and didn't want to take on debt, so I went to Greenville Tech."
For two years, Stone worked full-time while taking online courses at Greenville Tech, balancing long work days with late nights focused on his coursework. His disciplined approach paid off, allowing him to transfer to USC Upstate, where he found an "incredible environment" that helped shape his academic and athletic career.
However, sports weren't always part of the plan.
In high school, Stone was a distance runner, not a thrower. His transition to the world of shot put, discus, hammer, and weight throw came as a result of his college roommates, who were members of the USC Upstate track and field team.
"My roommates told me I should try throwing," Stone recalled with a laugh. "I laughed too—I was a runner! But I lifted with them every day, and when one of them joined the team, I lost my workout partner. So, I figured, why not join them?"
With no prior experience, Stone wasn't sure how to sell himself to the coaching staff. But he leaned into the traits that had carried him through his education—his willingness to learn and his work ethic.
"I remember thinking, 'How do I sell myself when I have no experience in the sport?'" Stone said. "But I knew I was willing to listen, be coachable, and work hard."
That mindset has led to impressive results. Stone has made significant progress in the throwing events, posting personal bests of 49.29m in the hammer throw and 16.24m in the weight throw.
In the 2025 calendar year alone, he has recorded four top-10 finishes, including a fourth-place finish at the Carolina Challenge in January. His first-ever collegiate event, the Winston-Salem College Kick-Off in December, saw him finish 26th. The growth since then has been nothing short of remarkable.
His impact has been felt among the coaching staff as well. "Addison is the type of athlete that makes our program successful," head coach Carson Blackwelder said.
"He has made huge improvements during his time here. He went from a high school runner to a collegiate thrower in a short time."
Stone's passion for athletics mirrors his passion for teaching, where he instills the same competitive mindset in his students that he has applied to his life.
"Frequently, kids are incredibly uncomfortable with not understanding something," Stone said. "They're even more uncomfortable when they think they understand something but fail. I always tell them that failure is just a stepping stone to success. You're capable of anything if you put your mind to it."
To reinforce this message, Stone often shares a video of himself falling during a hammer throw practice with his students. "They crack up," he said, smiling. "But I ask them, 'Do you think I quit, or do you think I got back up and tried again?' that's what I want them to understand—failure isn't final unless you quit."
Stone's love for teaching goes beyond the classroom; he sees it as a way to give back and shape the future. His favorite subjects to teach are science and math, and he credits his experience as a thrower for deepening his appreciation for physics.
"You know, inertia, centripetal force—they're all very applicable to throwing events," he said. "I've always been fascinated with how the world works, and teaching has been a rewarding way to explore that."
Stone already has his next steps lined up as he prepares for graduation. He recently signed a contract to teach fifth grade at Fairforest Elementary, where he will focus on math and science.
Stone's ambitions don't stop there. He hopes to pursue a master's degree and possibly a doctorate, with aspirations of becoming a behavior specialist, administrator, or even a principal. And maybe, just maybe, coaching is in his future as well.
When asked about the possibility of coaching, Stone simply smiled. "There could very well be some coaching in my future," he said.
He hopes to pass on his journey—full of unexpected twists and blue-collar mindset to his students.
"It has been a ride that's for sure, but even when things don't look bright, trust the process," Stone said. "The outcome will happen, regardless of the path it takes to get there."
