PoleVaultPower.com

I spoke with Coach Stephens and he is definitely interested in having pole vaulters be an important part of the track team they are building. Interested athletes can contact him at JSTEPHENS@USCUPSTATE.EDU



http://www.uscupstate.edu/athletics/new ... sp?id=2910

[quote] USC Upstate Adds Track and Cross Country
Stephens selected as head coach
July 10, 2006

Spartanburg, SC - With USC Upstate’s move to Division I in 2007-08, the University has added men’s and women’s track & field and cross country to bring the number of sports offered at USC Upstate to 15, surpassing the necessary 14 sports required to compete on the NCAA Division I level. In addition, the University has selected Jimmy Stephens (pictured) to head the cross country and track and field programs for the Spartans.

The track and cross country teams will begin competition in 2007-08.

“We are really excited about beginning the new programs and having Jimmy Stephens as the person to lead us in establishing what we believe will be strong programs,â€Â

http://www.goupstate.com/article/200909 ... state-Hall

USC Upstate track coach Stephens joins state Hall
Spartanburg native recently inducted into USA Track & Field/SC Hall of Fame


By Eric Boynton
eric.boynton@shj.com

Published: Monday, September 28, 2009 at 7:37 p.m.
Last Modified: Monday, September 28, 2009 at 7:37 p.m.
Jimmy Stephens has rarely ventured outside South Carolina in a life devoted to track and field, but now the longtime coach is truly home.

In fact, the Dorman graduate and USC Upstate cross country/track and field coach has now officially found a second home in the USA Track & Field/South Carolina Hall of Fame.

The 41-year-old was inducted last month, acknowledging his numerous contributions not only to the USATF, but also to various programs at different levels around the state.

The Spartanburg native’s lone stint outside the state was in 1999-2000 as director of track and field operations at the University of Alabama. Otherwise, Stephens has planted the roots of several programs while spreading his abundant knowledge of the sport from the coast to the Upstate.

“It all ties together and it’s all very rewarding,” Stephens said. “Most of my career has been in South Carolina and when I first got started as a coach, I felt like I needed to be involved in every aspect of the sport and that includes at the grassroots level, which is really what the USATF is primarily about.”

USATF/SC president Brian McCue praised Stephens in a release as “the stabilizing force for USATF/SC. Jimmy has been dedicated to the growth and integrity of our sport.”

Stephens has the rare experience among track and field coaches of having been a highly successful pole-vaulter in his school days. He held the county record for nine years (13 feet, 8 inches, according to Stephens) before it was broken by Dorman’s Joe Blanton, who was coached by Stephens.

“As a coach you want to see records broken, but I always thought I’d be disappointed to see my record go,” Stephens said. “But to see it broken by him was just awesome.”

There are many more athletes who have benefited from Stephens’ considerable expertise and dedication to helping the sport prosper.

He was an assistant with Furman from 1993-96 before beginning his head coaching career with Wofford’s cross country teams from 1996-99 where he also started the track and field program.

Stephens was tabbed to re-launch the USC Upstate cross country program in 2007, arriving from Mount Pleasant, where he oversaw youth programs for track and field, cross country and football. He initiated the Mount Pleasant Track Club, which has grown to become the state’s biggest.

His coaching career began as a student assistant at South Carolina, where he participated first as a walk-on before suffering a career-ending shoulder injury his sophomore year. He was asked to stay aboard to assist and a career was born.

“I actually kind of got the urge to coach in high school because there’s usually not a lot of official coaches that have pole-vault experience,” Stephens said. “I love track and field and that’s why I do this and things have always fallen into place. I’ve thought about getting out of it at times, but it sort of gets in your blood.”

Now that he’s truly come full circle back to his hometown, the well-traveled coach finally feels he’s found the perfect spot.

“I wanted to come home and wanted to coach at the college level,” Stephens said. “You never say never, but this is where I can see myself retiring and there’s a lot of challenges to go right here.”