Mr. Randall, a mentor, a coach and friend

Mr. Randall, a mentor, a coach and friend

Jalen Williams (l) and Mr. Randall (r) during a game in my 2010 season.

By Jalen Williams  Jalen.williams2@gmail.com         

      It seemed as though it was just yesterday when I transferred from Dillard High School to Blanche Ely High for my 2009-2010 senior year. Blanche Ely’s rival school is Dillard High and this is what made the experience more interesting.

My freshman, sophomore and junior season I played basketball for Dillard High. For my senior year, I decided to play for a different team that would best enhance my skills and character as a young man.

Transferring to Blanche Ely gave me the opportunity to meet and learn from an individual who goes by the name of “Mr. Randall.” He was more than just my basketball coach; he was also a mentor and great positive individual in my life.

I was saddened by the news that Mr. Melvin Randall was being released from his head coaching position at Blanche Ely High.

The community was outraged and everyone was left with the same question in their head “What happened?” After speaking with Mr. Randall frequently, he told me, “He was surprised at what had happened and all that he knew that it was personal!”

Despite the controversy going on he told me that everything was going to be okay and that justice was going to be served.

While attending Blanche Ely I was the “New Kid” and it was very easy to see that. I received a lot of attention from my fellow peers who were interested to see me perform on the court for the upcoming season.

Transferring to this school was one of the best decisions I’ve made in life. At this school, I’ve gained recognition around the state of Florida and nation while playing with this team. However, even though we came up short from winning a state title in 2010 we finished with a record of 26-1.

Furthermore, Mr. Randall was more than your average basketball coach. He was also a teacher and most of all a caring friend. If you ever needed some-one to talk to about your problems he was always there to listen and help.

He already has Hall of Fame credentials with his winning career record of 458 wins and 136 loses.

It is still not certain if he will coach at Blanche Ely again, however, expect to see this Hall of Fame five-time champion bettering a group of young men at a high school this upcoming season.