Board Decision on Ted Mullen Delayed a Month

Anaheim High School football Coach Ted Mullen will have to wait one more month to find out whether he will become an assistant coach at Palm Desert High School.

Mullen’s application to coach running backs and defensive ends was bumped from Tuesday’s meeting of the Desert Sands Unified School District board of trustees because it was processed after the board’s agenda had been organized, Palm Desert Principal Mike Jones said. The board will vote on the application at its next meeting July 18.

Mullen said he will not resign at Anaheim until the board approves his application at Palm Desert. He has coached Anaheim for two seasons, leading the Colonists to the Central Conference championship game in 1987.

Mullen said he wants to leave after coaching in Orange County for 18 seasons because he doesn’t “have the burning desire to be a head coach anymore.” He has a 151-58-6 record in 18 seasons at Villa Park, University, Foothill and Anaheim and won the Southern Conference title in 1977 with Villa Park and 1981 at Foothill.

Mullen, 56, also wants to settle in the retirement community of Desert Hot Springs, about 15 miles from Palm Desert, he said. He sold his home in Orange and has bought a house in Desert Hot Springs.

“Retirement is still three, four, maybe five years away,” he said. “I want to see if this is where I want to retire.”