Craig Stone was born and raised in Warwick, Rhode Island along with his two siblings: his twin sister Sharlene and his younger sister Karen. The son of a plumber and a housewife/secretary (neither of whom attended college), Craig was raised with a value system that emphasized a strong work ethic, doing what was right, and a strong commitment to family. Growing up, Craig attended the YMCA and joined the Boy Scouts, both of which were tremendous influences in his life. He was the traditional three-season athlete playing football, basketball, and tennis. Friends encouraged him to try wrestling, and even though he was always intrigued by the sport and attended several matches, he couldn't get himself to step on the mat. That changed in the fall of 1967 when Craig enrolled at Springfield College. He took wrestling as a sport skill class during his freshman year, and then decided to take the leap in representing his class in an intramural tournament. After experiencing some success, the freshman coach encouraged Craig to try out for the team, and before he knew it, he was hooked and remained on the team through his college years.

After graduating from Springfield College, Craig received his Master's degree in Physical Education from the University of Oregon. He took his first job in education for Lynnfield Public Schools in Massachusetts in 1972. Three years later, 20 high school students signed a petition to start a wrestling team. Stone applied for the coaching position, and in 1975 Lynnfield High School had a club team, which was elevated to varsity status the following year. As his career progressed, Craig took note of declining enrollment numbers and decided to act. In 2005, he formed a co-op with North Reading which had previously dropped their program. The merging of two teams has been an invaluable experience for Craig, his wrestlers, and the communities, while it allows everyone involved to continue to reap the benefits that wrestling provides.

Stone's impressive coaching record and list of honors is representative of his dedication and commitment to the sport and his athletes. His current career coaching record stands at 531-313-7. His teams have won 5 league championships, 3 sectional championships, and finished as state finalists in 2014. Craig has coached 84 state place finishers and 8 state champions. He has been named Cape Ann League Coach of the Year 8 times and The Boston Globe Coach of the Year twice. Craig was inducted into the Massachusetts Wrestling Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 1998, and received the National Wrestling Coaches Association Massachusetts Coach of the Year Award in 2013. He also received the North Shore Student Athlete Lifetime Commitment Award in 2013, the Honorary Lynnfield Rotarian Award in 2015, and served as Sectional Chairman of the MWCA Executive Board for over 30 years.

Craig attributes his success to a coaching style that emphasizes clear and effective communication between athletes, parents, teachers, and administrators. Letting all parties understand their roles in supporting each other and recognizing their required individual contribution is key, while being open to everybody's input is equally as important. The cornerstone of his coaching philosophy is TEAM which stands for "Together Each Achieves More," a mantra that Stone has used throughout his career. Stone's objective perspective helps balance the highs and lows of the sport, and his genuine concern for his wrestlers as both athletes and young adults helps drive their success. Stone's hope is that he has instilled the values of hard work and perseverance in his wrestlers, and that they take the invaluable life lessons wrestling teaches with them on their journeys.

Craig retired as an elementary physical educator in June of 2016 after 44 years in the same teaching position, and has now completed his 42nd year of coaching wrestling. For the past 36 years, he has also coached the girl's tennis team at Lynnfield High School during the spring season, accumulating another highly-esteemed record of 563-84. Teaching and coaching in Lynnfield, and later in North Reading where he currently resides and where his children went to school has been a dream come true. Stone is grateful to the talented student-athletes, caring parents, supportive communities, and professional networks that have shaped his career.

He extends his gratitude to his wife Patty of 39 years, his two children, Michael and Jenna, his daughter-in-law Liz, and his prized grandchildren, Jillian and Samantha.