Interview with Harry Mullins, November 5, 2015

Partial Transcript: Well my name's Dennis Emery and I'm here with Harry Mullins.

Segment Synopsis: Harry Mullins is introduced. The interviewer gives an overview of his career as a rifle team coach at the University of Kentucky. He discusses the early days of the team, its connections to ROTC, and the beginning of UK's involvement in the SEC tournament.

Keywords: Air Force; All-Americans; Army; Co-ed; Conferences; Connections; Funding; NCAA Championships; National championships; Navy; Players; Politics; Recruitment; Rifle team; SEC Champions; Service academies; Top ten finishes

Subjects: Coaches (Athletics); Rifle practice.; Shooting contests.; United States. Army. Reserve Officers' Training Corps; University of Kentucky--Sports--History; University of Kentucky. Army ROTC

Partial Transcript: You know when you were shooting for the University of Kentucky, what were the facilities like back then?

Segment Synopsis: Mullins discusses how the rifle team facilities at UK have improved over the years. He talks about the resources the team has been provided, and talks about attempting to involve more spectators in the sport.

Keywords: Changes; Electronic targets; Eli Capiluto; Lee Todd; Mitch Barnhart; Pride; Resources; Score; Spectators; Upgrades

Subjects: College facilities.; College presidents; College sports--Economic aspects--United States.; Universities and colleges--Finance; University of Kentucky--Sports--History

Partial Transcript: Um, you know, leaving your playing career, but before we do that I just wanted to ask you do, do you have any kind of interesting stories from when you played and went on a trip, or?

Segment Synopsis: Mullins talks about his own days playing for the UK rifle team. He talks about some of his teammates and tells stories about traveling with the team.

Keywords: "Big blue vans"; Camaraderie; Coach Owens; Matches; Playing career; Pride; Road trips; Rooming; State troopers; Teammates; Travel

Subjects: College athletes; College sports.; College students--Conduct of life.

Partial Transcript: Well, uh, when--do you have any idea when the first year was that Kentucky placed in the national championships?

Segment Synopsis: Mullins discusses his early days as a coach when there were no scholarships available for the rifle team. He talks about when they first began receiving scholarships and how that affected their ability to recruit talented athletes.

Keywords: Coach Bostwick; Defining moments; Disappointments; Gold medalists; Mike Singer; NCAA Championships; Nancy Johnson; National championships; Players; Recruitment; Rifle team

Subjects: Coaches (Athletics); College athletes; College choice; College costs.; College sports--Coaching; College sports--Economic aspects--United States.; College sports--Scouting; College students--Economic conditions; Scholarships.; Shooting contests.; University of Kentucky--Sports--History

Partial Transcript: Now when you were talking about scholarships, okay? Because you're clearly the transitional person in the rifle program.

Segment Synopsis: Mullins talks about the evolution of rifle as a sport. He talks more about how scholarships affected the team's ability to recruit. He discusses some of his former players and their abilities.

Keywords: Club sports; Favorite players; Jennifer; Mary Elsas; Modern era; Nancy Johnson; Pride; Tom Hodgkins; Transitions; Tuition

Subjects: Coaches (Athletics); College athletes; College choice; College costs.; College sports--Coaching; College sports--Economic aspects--United States.; College students--Economic conditions; Scholarships.; United States. Army. Reserve Officers' Training Corps; University of Kentucky--Sports--History; University of Kentucky. Army ROTC

Partial Transcript: You know i--I want to go back now to when you were hired.

Segment Synopsis: Mullins talks about being hired as the rifle team coach at UK in 1987, and discusses his early salary.

Keywords: Cliff Hagan; Frank Hamm; Graduation; Hired; Larry Ivy; Rifle coach; Salaries

Subjects: Coaches (Athletics); College sports--Coaching; United States. Army. Reserve Officers' Training Corps; University of Kentucky--Sports--History; University of Kentucky. Army ROTC

Partial Transcript: Now, I'm gonna go kind of move on and, and you've kind of spoken a little bit about this, okay, but in 1994 to 2002, you know, you went on a, just a golden run where you finished...

Segment Synopsis: Mullins talks about his team's improvement and accomplishments from 1994-2002. He talks about how he attempted to change the team's attitude, and gives other reasons for their success.

Keywords: Accomplishments; Attitudes; Changes; Competitions; Mike Boggs; Mindset; Pride; Resources; Success; Uniforms; Warm up suits; West Virginia; Winning streak

Subjects: Coaches (Athletics); College athletes; College choice; College costs.; College sports--Coaching; College sports--Economic aspects--United States.; College students--Economic conditions; Rifle practice.; Scholarships.; Shooting contests.; University of Kentucky--Sports--History

Partial Transcript: You know, you--and again you, you went through a little bit of a period there where you were five or six in the country...

Segment Synopsis: Mullins describes the experience of his team winning the NCAA championship in 2011.

Keywords: Feelings; Governor's Cup; NCAA Championships; NCAA basketball tournament; Realization; Score; Second place; State programs; Success; Targets; Trophies; West Virginia

Subjects: Coaches (Athletics); College athletes; College sports--Coaching; National Collegiate Athletic Association; Rifle practice.; Shooting contests.; University of Kentucky--Sports--History

Partial Transcript: Now you alluded to Henri.

Segment Synopsis: Mullins talks about some of the players that were on the 2011 NCAA championship team. He also discusses international students who have affected the team.

Keywords: Commitment; Eligibility; Emily Holsopple; Ethan Settlemires; Foreign students; Hard work; Heather Greathouse; Henri Junghanel; International athletes; International students; Logan Fox; Maturity; Players; Recruitment; Rifle team; Veter Dillon

Subjects: Coaches (Athletics); College athletes; College sports--Coaching; National Collegiate Athletic Association; Rifle practice.; Shooting contests.; University of Kentucky--Sports--History

Partial Transcript: Um, y, you know, and it doesn't coincide so much with your, with your run; you were successful before Mitch got here, you've been very successful after Mitch got here...

Segment Synopsis: Mullins talks about how his team has improved due to resources given to them by Athletic Director Mitch Barnhart, and discusses Barnhart's personal involvement with UK athletic teams.

Keywords: Budgets; C.M. Newton; Careers; Cliff Hagan; Equipment; Impact; Involvement; Jobs; Mitch Barnhart; NCAA Championships; National level; Nike contracts; Personal interest; Resources

Subjects: Athletic directors.; Athletics; College sports.; University of Kentucky--Sports--History

Partial Transcript: Let's, let's go to your players.

Segment Synopsis: Mullins talks more about some of his former players, their careers, and their abilities.

Keywords: Chris Gerrig; Evolution; Henri Junghanel; International competitions; Leadership; Nancy Johnson; Olympic Training Center; Olympic gold medalists; Pan-Am Games; Players; Success

Subjects: College athletes; College students--Conduct of life.; College students--Employment.

Partial Transcript: Let me ask you one, one last question here.

Segment Synopsis: Mullins discusses how UK as a whole has changed since his days as a student, focusing mainly on facilities. He talks about how this has affected the rifle team's ability to recruit. The interview is concluded.

Keywords: Academics; Changes; Dormitories; Dorms; Evolution; Funding; Infrastructure; Jake Karnes; Leadership; Library; Players; Recruitment; Research

Subjects: Coaches (Athletics); College athletes; College buildings.; College campuses.; College facilities.; College sports--Coaching; College sports--Scouting; Universities and colleges--Ratings and rankings.