By Kathi Stearns, Staff Writer

ATLANTA--St. Pius X High School will honor George B. Maloof, the first man hired to both teach and coach at St. Pius, during the half-time of the St. Pius-Chamblee football game Sept. 15.

The football field at Joe Bean Stadium will be named the Georgia B. Maloof Field in recognition of Maloof’s dedication to the St. Pius community, both on and off the football field.

“George had a tremendous impact on our school and community for a significant part of its history,” said Donald T. Sasso, principal. “Many of his accomplishments and encounters with the students of St. Pius, whom he cared for so very deeply, took place on that football field. We believe it to be very appropriate to name the field in his honor.”

Maloof, a parishioner of Holy Cross, Atlanta, served as the St. Pius athletic director and head football coach for 26 years. Twenty-one of his 26 teams had winning seasons, and he compiled a record of 168-85-12. St. Pius won the region championships in 1964, 1967, 1968, 1972 and 1974. In 1965 and 1968 Maloof led St. Pius to the state championship finals and was named AA Georgia Coach of the Year for both efforts. In 1968 St. Pius defeated Gainesville 6-0 for the state championship; Maloof was named the North All-Star coach that year. In 1984 Maloof left St. Pius to coach at DeKalb County’s Henderson High School; he later coached at Meadow Creek High School in Gwinnett County.

“I remember him saying, ‘Put your face mask square in the runner’s numbers, and if you can’t do that you can give me 10 banks after practice,’” said Jim Seaver, a St. Pius alumnus and former football player. “He would make us run up and down the banks of he field. He put us through hell.”

Maloof, a former Georgia Tech player, was the first athlete to score four touchdowns in one game in the Georgia vs. Georgia Tech series. Herschel Walker tied his record in 1989.

Although Maloof is known for his success as a football player and coach, he touched the lives of many St. Pius students. “It is not easy to do justice to a man who has given so much of himself to others except to hope that he has received as much as he gave,” said Chris Eck, a former football player. “It never seemed to matter whether we won or lost on the scoreboard, because since we knew the man as both coach and father figure, we knew we had won is a way that does not end up in the sports pages.”

“Coach Maloof was much more than just the football coach,’ said Linda Hedges, a St. Pius alumna. “Up until my senior year I never realized that Coach Maloof cared enough about us to be at most of the girls basketball games. During the last game of the season I sprained my ankle before half-time. During the break Coach Maloof showed up with a roll of tape and began taping my ankles. He did this for each game of the region playoffs as well. He was not just the coach for the football team; he was the coach for all of us.”

During the game a tent will be set up in the end zone for a reception for those former students, athletes, faculty and administrators who would like to share this occasion with Maloof. All are invited to attend.