The Malone Legacy continues: former students of renowned coach follow in his footsteps, teaching, fighting against heart disease

WARNER ROBINS, Ga. — When you get to know Houston County, you eventually start learning all the names that are a part of its’ history. Stalnaker, Perdue, Talton, Watson, Nunn — all names of historic, and current, relevance to the county. For many who grew up in Warner Robins, for the athletes who used the area as their stomping grounds, there’s a name that stands before all others: Malone.

Chip Malone coached at Warner Robins High School from 1991 to 2009. After a heart transplant in 2010, he became advocate for heart disease awareness, putting together events, alongside his wife, Cynthia Malone, to tell people about the conditions causes, symptoms, and how to avoid it as well.

At the time of his passing in 2015, Chip Malone was considered by many to be a father figure, a representative of goodwill, and someone who does the right things for the right reasons.

Head Coach Jamaal Garman, as well as Assistant Coaches Antwan Brooks and Reggie Williams are all Chip Malone’s students, each of them student athletes who he coached. Today, these three coaches, who work with the Varsity Demons Basketball team, work to do the same for their students as Malone once did for them.

Garman took the position of Head Coach following Malone’s retirement. Former Principal Steve Monday and Athletic Director Brian Way offered him the job a year after Malone stepped down, and Garman has given his time their for the last 13 or 14 years. As a student, Malone was his coach from 1992 to 1995.

“Why wouldn’t I pick it up? It’s my alma mater, where I went to high school at, and I’d be following in Coach Malone’s footsteps,” Garman said. “You dream about stuff like that, but you don’t ever think it comes true. This time it came true for us.”

Brooks was Malone’s student from 1994 to 1997. He returned to Warner Robins High School after the former coach’s retirement to work with Garman as an Assistant Coach, adding that much of what Malone did as coach, Garman does today.

“A lot of things he does are the same thing Coach Malone instilled in the both of us,” Brooks said.

Finally, Williams graduated in 2000 after playing Varsity under Coach Malone for three years — making it to state, and leaving the court as runner-up. He returned later when Garman took on his new role.

Coaching at his alma mater, Williams said it makes you work even harder.

“It’s motivation,” Williams said. “It makes you want to do more in the community, and with [Garman] giving me the opportunity I’m able to do that — I’m learning so much from him, him and Brooks.”

On Saturday, Jan. 14, the Warner Robins Demons Varsity Basketball team will enter Weatherspoon Gym and play their rivalry match against Northside High School. Supporting the legacy of Coach Chip Malone and the ongoing efforts of Cynthia Malone, the two teams will support the cause of Chip’N Away at Heart Disease by wearing red t-shirts for Teams Against Heart Disease.

The goal, as described by Cynthia Malone herself, is to raise awareness of heart health and non-invasive procedures towards that goal amongst student athletes. It is one of several events and campaigns held by Chip’N Away each year.

Garman told The Journal that Warner Robins High would continue doing their part.

“This is what Coach Malone was doing before he passed, and what Mrs. Malone is doing now that he’s transitioned on,” Garman said. “She’s continuing his dream — this was his dream. There is no possible way, being one of his former players, coaching at the same school he coached at, and not have that going on. That wouldn’t be right.”

Brooks said they do it because the Malones are family to Warner Robins Basketball.

“We continue to do this work because Coach Malone and Cynthia were family, more than basketball,” Brooks said. “It means a lot for us to carry on his legacy and campaign for them, because we consider him a father figure to us. We consider her a mother figure.

“When she calls with anything about the campaign, we’re all for it. No if, and, or buts about it.”

To get involved with Chip’N Away at Heart Disease or Teams Against Heart Disease, you can visit www.chipnaway.com, or contact Cynthia Malone to do a presentation on heart disease awareness in your community at (478) 919-6450.

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