Athens High School middle linebacker Jerome Malone kept a bracelet on his wrist throughout the entire football season, the content on which provided a gentle reminder of who’s in control.
“To remind us that we’re still in God’s grip,” Jerome says of the bracelet on his right wrist that reads ‘Philippians 4:13.”
His high school football season may have ended after a heartbreaking 31-24 loss to Homewood High school in the first round of the AHSAA playoffs on November 8, but Jerome’s athletic career for the Golden Eagles is not done just yet. This spring, he will compete in the shot put and discus for the AHS track team under head coach Patrick Chambless. Jerome became a thrower on the track team through the encouragement of his strength and conditioning coach, who served as head track coach his freshman year.
“I didn’t have anything to do after football, so he was like, ‘you could come throw shot put,’” Jerome recalls.
Though hesitant at first, Jerome joined the team because of a friend and eventually grew to love the sport. He’s gotten so good that he once placed fifth in the state in shot put and has set a personal best of 47’11”. His personal record in the discus is 102’09”.
The son of Jerome and Tiffany Malone, Jerome carries a 3.68 GPA at Athens High School and says his favorite subject in school is English. He is involved in National Honor Society and the Mayor’s Youth Committee.
When asked how he would stress to an elementary kid the importance of hitting the books, Jerome says athletics and academics go “hand-in-hand” and “being able to keep up with your academics as well as your athletics is super important.”
Jerome says his favorite thing about being an athlete at Athens High School is “the respect given you,” and the two-sport star has certainly garnered the praise of his head football coach, Cody Gross.
“Jerome Malone is an unbelievable human being. He has been a leader on our football team & does it through serving his teammates. He loves people & is a great communicator. I can’t wait to see what type of success he has in the future because it is certainly coming his way,” said Gross.
After graduation in May of 2025, Jerome plans to go to college and work in fitness and wellness. He says the thing he’ll miss most about Athens is the connectedness. “I think Athens is a lot different than a lot of other small towns,” he says. “Everybody knows everybody, of course, but everybody supports everybody here.”
Without question, Jerome is in God’s grip, but he’s also in Athens’ grip, too. TG
Photos by Al Blanton. A special thanks to our sponsor, Engel & Volkers Limestone!
