Mullins steps away as Fairview girls coach
May 13—Mo Mullins has always worn his heart on his sleeve when talking about his vision for Fairview's girls basketball program.
That hasn't changed, even though Mullins has resigned from leading the Eagles after two seasons.
"I was in it to do it as long as I could. When I took that job, I didn't do it because we needed somebody; I took that job because I wanted to," Mullins said. "I'm passionate about basketball, and I'm passionate about helping kids go from one level to another level and finding greatness within themselves like they didn't think they had."
Mullins believes his tenure as Fairview's coach has shown his efforts to that end — most specifically, the Eagles' jump from five wins in his first season in 2021 to 10 victories last winter.
"It may not sound like a lot to some people, but when you take an inexperienced squad like we had and you go from five wins to 10 wins in one season, that's a big to-do, man," Mullins said.
Mullins resigned Tuesday, citing "health issues." He had reached an impasse in handling those while also having enough left to give to his roles as an assistant principal at Fairview and the Eagles' coach, he said.
"We have to do what's right for our kids, regardless of if it's academic or athletic," Mullins said, "and I struggled with that, whether or not I would be able to really and truly give our program and these girls who deserve the best they can get, as far as any kind of focus or attention or guidance from a good head coach, (that).
"I just really felt in my heart of hearts I wouldn't be able to do that, based on my current health condition. I could've done it, don't get me wrong, and I would've done it, because I'm not a quitter and I hate letting people down, and anybody who truly knows me knows those attributes and qualities about me."
So, Mullins described his disposition upon reaching his decision as "disappointed."
"I've always been for the underdog, and for the kids that need the most help, and trying to help build their self-esteem and confidence and letting them know that there's something better out there for them than what's facing them on a daily basis," he said. "Some of them don't even know that until somebody brings that to their attention and says, 'There's something you can do for yourself to make yourself better, and I'm here to help you find that.'"
To that end, Mullins's education experience includes 14 years teaching students with emotional and behavioral disorders before moving into administration. He brought a similar mindset to coaching, he said.
Mullins credited assistants Jeffrey Humphrey and Katrina Holmes for being "as far as I'm concerned ... the greatest coaching staff on the face of the planet." Humphrey skippered the Eagles for a seven-game stretch this past season as Mullins battled health problems.
Fairview superintendent Jackie Risden-Smith noted appreciation for Mullins's investment of time and added that the district is also investing in Eagles sports.
"We've started this year to increase financial resources for our athletic programs after a great amount of time and focus has been on stabilizing district finances over the past few years," she said. "We want athletics in Fairview to continue to move forward, and I understand coach Mullins's decision to step down from the head coaching position with his assistant principal role. He's a true team player and I'm grateful to have him on our team as we move forward."
Mullins said his "main commitment now is to make sure we get the right person in this position to continue to move this program forward in a positive direction."
(606) 326-2658 — zklemme@dailyindependent.com
