Randy Mullard

ATLANTA–Randy Mullard has plenty to keep him busy these days.

As Atlanta High School’s maintenance director, athletic director and softball coach, Mullard wears a lot of hats and is heavily invested in Atlanta’s athletic programs.

“There is always a lot going on and there’s always something that needs to be done; it just takes a lot of planning, time management and prioritizing. The key to it all is the support that I get at home from my wife,” Mullard said. “She is a former coach and understands the time commitment so she helps me maintain a good balance and perspective.”

Within the next few weeks, Mullard will add another job title to his growing list of duties: Atlanta boys basketball coach. He succeeds Kevin Haren, who led the Huskies for six seasons.

Mullard, the former head softball coach at Delta College, has experience coaching and playing basketball, but Atlanta will be his first varsity job coaching hoops. It’s a little out of his comfort zone, he admits, but Mullard said it’s a challenge he’s looking forward to.

“I wanted the job as the basketball head coach because it was an opportunity to tackle a new challenge and because I know that I can have a positive impact on not only on the program, but the players as well,” Mullard said. “I’ve watched these student-athletes for over a year as the AD; I’ve seen their internal and external struggles; I’ve seen both the good and the bad.”

Over the last several years, Atlanta has struggled to win games, but has played hard and played many teams close. The Huskies went 6-14 last season and had a pair of all-conference selections; forward Zach Roux was selected to the North Star League first team and guard Aaron Cuzzort was named to the second team.

Mullard said he’s thrilled for the chance to lead the Huskies on the hardwood and believes Atlanta’s athletes have the potential to be very good. As head of the program, he aims to build a strong culture that motivates players to perform at their best.

Getting the Huskies to perform at their best will include mastering the fundamentals of the game and playing team basketball, according to Mullard. He said Atlanta will have a set of offensive and defensive principles to play within, but there will be an added emphasis on how to play the game, rather than mastering a playbook right out of the gate.

If the Huskies can play to their potential and grow as a team, Mullard believes the results will start to show up on the scoreboard.

“My philosophy as a coach regardless of the sport revolves around performance vs. winning and losing. I believe that if we perform at our potential every day, regardless of who we play; that the scoreboard will take care of itself,” Mullard said.

For now, Atlanta, and the rest of the state is in a holding pattern. Players in contact sports–hockey, wrestling and basketball, are currently allowed to participate in non-contact activities. The restrictions on contact activities and competition, put in place by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, were extended last week through Feb. 21.