As part of the second annual USATF Week of Thanks, we are highlighting some of USATF’s most dedicated members with a Humans of New York-style feature on USATF.org and our social media accounts. Our second feature is Milton Mallard, an assistant track and field coach at Texas A&M University from Garland, Texas, who’s been involved with USA Track & Field for 30 years. Milton Mallard, 48, Spring, Texas - Track and field coach Milton Mallard, Olympic gold medalist Athing Mu’s coach, began his journey with USA Track & Field three decades ago. As a teenager, Mallard was a member of the Texans Track Club in Dallas, Texas. His passion for the sport led him to run at the collegiate level - first, a stint at the University of Texas at El Paso, followed by time at Louisiana State University. “Post-collegiate, I competed for several apparel companies as well as representing my country as part of the World Class Athlete program for the United States Army,” said Mallard. Mallard has touched many corners of the track and field world. Following his athletic career, Mallard became an athletic manager - working with Doyle Management and Carl Lewis Athletics before shifting his focus to collegiate coaching. Mallard spent time as a volunteer coach at Texas A&M then took a paid position with Texas Lutheran University before shifting to work as a K-12 athletic director and physical education coach. “That helped mold my passion to help and motivate young people to achieve and accomplish their goals,” said Mallard. “I spent four years in that role. I followed my heart back to college coaching - which landed me back at Texas A&M, which is where I am today.” Mallard has held many roles in track and field - from his first track meet in North Carolina to coaching professional athletes - and says that USATF has allowed him to believe that anything is possible. “I’m thankful that USATF is a sport and organization that cares,” said Mallard. “The organization makes ways for young people to compete and meet other young people all over the world - which helps build character and great self-esteem.” Through his tenure in the track and field world, Mallard has always focused on the phrase “patience, patience” and hard work. This makes moments like watching Athing Mu win two golds in Tokyo, knowing he was part of her development, even sweeter. As he tells his athletes, “hard work works.”