Alumni coaching corner grows
Woods, '97, and Able, '06, take over boys and girls, respectively.
Alumni continue to return to Mullen as coaches.
The latest such hires are for track and field. Former Mustangs Thal Woods and Caitlin Able will handle the boys and girls, respectively, and give the teams new looks.
And, of course, both are diving into their programs.
“I’m really excited because I come back to my alma mater as head coach,” Woods said. “The goals we have are to get back into being at the forefront in terms of becoming state champions, striving to be state champions and providing kids opportunities to compete at the next level.”
It’s the same for Able.
“I as an alumni have always kind of been open to things and I’d say it’s probably one of the most elite coaching positions you can get in Colorado,” she said.
Athletic director Vince Massey was ecstatic about two more alumni returning to campus to coach: “Mullen is excited and blessed to welcome both Caitlin and Thal back to Mullen. To be able to hir both to lead our track teams is truly amazing. They have both been extremely successful since graduating from Mullen and we look forward to having them lead our young athletes back to the forefront of the track world.”
Woods and Able take over for longtime figure John Hancock, who was handling both programs.
Woods. Class of 1997, competed in football and track for the Mustangs, and did likewise at Colorado State. He was a defensive back/sprinter for the Rams and went to play in the Arena Football League for six seasons and four teams, including the Colorado Crush.
As a Mustang, he was a top-flight running back-defender as well as a 200-meter Colorado champion, runner-up in the 100, state record-holder in relays and a member of four consecutive team state titles. It carries over to today as he still competes on the USATF circuit. Plus, Woods has been working for the NFL during summer camps doing military combines.
He’s capable of training competitors of all ages and co-founded 5050 Sports Performance.
Able, Class of 2006, has a legacy with Mullen as her father graduated with Mustangs football coach head coach Vincent White, who grew up in Park Hill, where Woods was raised.
A sprinter and relay-team member for the Mustangs, the Aurora product had a huge role in helping Mullen to three consecutive Colorado team titles. Individually, she was on the Mustangs’ state-title-1,600 relay championship team, and was second in the 400, third in the 100 and fourth in the 100 at the 2006 Colorado meet. Able also was a Centennial League, 4A regional and indoor-meet champion.
She went on Drake, where she competed in the short (60) and long (400) sprints, was a relay team member and earned Missouri Valley Conference scholar-athlete honors
A former assistant at Chaparral in Parker, Able is employed at a digital ad agency and founded the Colorado Jets track club.
Both Able and Woods also were associated with the Colorado Flyers track club and the late Tony Wells, and the facts that they each competed for Mullen and remain active on the club circuit bodes well for the Mustangs.
“Caitlin and I have worked together,” Woods said. “I just think this is great for Mullen to move into the future of what its track and field can become.
We needed two people in these situations who knew what it takes to be athletes and be successful, and get it to where it was.”
Able agrees: “When the position came up, I thought it was a kind of a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity … it’s a different Mullen (than when she was here), but there’s definitely still some of the old Mullen. We want to bring it back. It’s a huge tradition.”
The two are assembling their staffs and excited about the returning and new talent.
The first date for spring-sports practice will be Monday, Feb. 25.
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