The ring is quiet. Just Bo Fleming, the shot put, and a few deep breaths cutting through the hum of a track meet in full swing.
His shoulders square. His eyes lock in. Then—power, precision, release. The shot cuts through the air before gravity wins, again.
And when it lands, the crowd reacts. Bo barely blinks. He’s already replaying the throw in his head, already preparing for the next one.
For the Carroll senior, this moment is familiar. It’s the culmination of muscle memory, mental grit and years of pushing himself—always aiming farther, always chasing the perfect throw.
Everything clicked Bo’s junior year at Carroll Senior High, when he medaled at state in shot put and competed at the Nike Nationals Track and Field Event. His success continued as a senior, when he was named a track-and-field All American, came in first place at the Class 6A Region 1 championships in shot put and finished fourth at the state track meet - his final competition as a high school athlete.
And while, if you ask his father, Bo certainly had the arm strength to play baseball and the overall strength and competitiveness to play football, there’s symmetry in shot put – and competitive throwing in general – as his final destination.
Family Matters
For the Fleming family, competitive throwing runs in their blood.
It all began with Bo's grandfather, who was a shot putter in high school and played football at Indiana University. The tradition continued with Bo’s father, Zach Fleming, who became a two-time Big Ten champion in shot put during his time at Indiana University, and then Bo’s uncle, an All-American hammer thrower and two-time Olympic Trials competitor. Bo's sister, Ella, added her own chapter to the family’s throwing legacy by setting the all-time discus record at Southlake Carroll High School.
“The sport itself is so pure,” says Zach. “Whoever throws the farthest wins. There's no subjectivity—that’s what I’ve always loved about it. I just thought it was so cool that Bo and I could share something we both have a passion and ability for.”
The two have spent hours together, driving to and from meets and practices, discussing strategies and throws and even reviewing film together. The shared time helped Zach realize something: his son was wired like he was, with a deep interest in every aspect of throwing.
“He wants to compete, and loves the process of weights and technique and everything that goes into being a top tier athlete,” Zach says.
By his sophomore year, Bo knew he could be destined for greatness in shot put – if he worked at it.
The Making Of A Dragon
Bo’s rise to All-American didn’t happen by accident—it was built, day by day, through a relentless training routine that would exhaust most high school athletes. While juggling a full class schedule, he treated each day like a professional in training.
A typical morning kicked off at 7 a.m. with a breakfast built for bulk—fuel for the grueling hours ahead. During the school day, he reviewed video of his throws between classes, analyzed form, and ate constantly in an effort to gain and maintain muscle.
“I eat five to six times a day,” Bo says. “Snacking is just part of the routine.”
Afternoons were spent on the field, grinding through drills, lifting, and throwing sessions with the school team. Then came club track practice, where the focus shifted to refining technique and pushing past plateaus. After that? Another meal, more drills, sometimes another lift. And don’t forget about schoolwork. Then sleep. Repeat.
It’s a demanding schedule—but the results speak for themselves.
He placed fifth at the Nike Nationals Track and Field Meet in shot put in 2024 – the same year he had what he considers one of the bigger moments of his amateur discus-throwing career to date.
As a junior, Fleming entered the 2024 state meet as the seventh overall seed and a “wildcard” qualifier – meaning, he didn’t win his specific region, but was a top thrower among all non-group winners. To put another way, he was going up against the best discus throwers in the state.
“On my first throw, I threw a personal record, but it was still only good enough for sixth place going into the final throw,” he says.
That final throw would solidify him among the best young throwers in Texas. “Everything lined up perfectly,” he says. “I threw a four-foot personal best to place third in the state.”
He entered his senior year a man on a mission. Bo set a Carroll record in the shot put in 2025, throwing the 12-pound shot 61 feet, four inches. At the District 4-6A meet in April, Bo’s shot put throw of 61 feet, 3 inches was far and away the best in his group, topping second-place thrower Micaiah Canaday from L.D. Bell by more than six feet. He wasn’t finished yet either: Bo’s discus throw at the district meet was third best, traveling 153 feet. The 6-foot-2-inch senior has since broken his own school record four times en route to being named a high school Track and Field All-American.
At regionals, Bo came in first place in shot put with a 62 foot throw – nearly four feet better than the second place finisher. He placed fifth in discus.
At the 2025 Class 6A state meet — his final high school competition — Bo came in fourth place with a throw of 60 feet, seven inches. He was, admittedly, disappointed.
“It didn’t go the way I envisioned it,” he said. “I had one goal coming into this season - win a state championship. It’s a very tough pill to swallow. But I’m proud to have competed at such a high level throughout my high school season. I’m so grateful for the past three years of Carroll Track and Field.”
Ready To Launch
Bo has big plans for his future in competitive throwing, and his passion extends well beyond his current achievements.
While shot put remains his primary focus, the four-time Carroll record breaker is eager to expand his skill set during his college years by mastering the hammer throw. Inspired by his uncle’s expertise in the event, the soon-to-be high school graduate and future NCAA thrower is determined to become a more versatile and well-rounded athlete.
“I would like to perform at a nationally competitive level in the throws and shoot for the Olympics possibly,” Bo says. “I want to learn the Hammer because my uncle was super good and made the Olympic Trials. I will be spending a ton of time in the weight room getting stronger.”
He wants to give back, too.
Bo said he has loved working with young throwers in the past, and would certainly continue doing so if the opportunities come. Throwing, he said, is a great teaching sport for youth athletes because obvious results come from simple hard work.
“After college, I hope throwing stays a part of my life, whether it’s coaching or throwing professionally,” he says. “I would like to continue to help kids learn how to throw and become good at it.”