The head coach for a three-time defending national championship team got to that point almost by accident. In fact, without a last-second effort, that coach might currently be a lawyer.
That coach is Felecia Mulkey, the leader of Oregon’s Acrobatics and Tumbling team. “Three-time defending champs” would sound impressive in any sport, but it’s all the more notable considering only four titles have ever been played in the acrobatics and tumbling meet format. In her four years as head coach, Mulkey has already built a dynasty, and it started because of her desire to grasp onto the last possible inkling of an athletic coaching career, even if she was completely content to let it go.
Before coming to Oregon, Mulkey served as the marketing director for Kennesaw State University. As a side job, she coached the competitive cheer team, and even though she said she was bad at it, she was electrified by the way it affected her players.
“I saw it change lives,” she said.
Mulkey loved it so much, she wanted it to be a full-time job, but it never happened. As a result, she applied to law school; she was ready to make a change. But before law school called, she noticed that Oregon was going to start a team similar to hers at Kennesaw State, only the Ducks were going to hire a full-time coach. That news didn’t change any of Mulkey’s plans, though.
“I thought they’d already hired a full-time coach,” she said, “so I called to ask exactly what they did to make this process happen,” she said.
Mulkey hoped her information from Oregon could help her come up with a plan to construct Kennesaw State’s cheer program in a similar mold. If they couldn’t, she was off to law school.
Then she talked with Oregon again. Contrary to Mulkey’s beliefs, they didn’t actually have a head coach. In fact, Oregon wanted her to apply for the job.
Mulkey couldn’t believe it, calling the whole situation “a whirlwind.” Uncertain what to do, she called her brother for help. His answer was unequivocal.
“He told me, ‘You need to go there,’” Mulkey said. “‘The Grateful Dead played in their football stadium.’ That was the only feedback I got.”
Mulkey might not have made her decision based on her brother’s advice, but she went to Oregon nonetheless. And she said her decision was undoubtedly the right one. She loves so many things about Oregon, from the “outdoorsy vibe” to the health-centric culture to the hospitality.
She also loves her team, and the goal for all of them is simple: win a fourth consecutive title. Freshman Mari Yacoubian and junior Tara Lubert said the same thing, and they completely trust their “intense” coach to help them deliver.
“She’s probably one of the greatest coaches I’ve had up until this time in my career,” Lubert said.
That coach was almost never there to provide that type of impact to players like Lubert. It’s possible another coach could have been nearly as successful as Mulkey in her position, but it’s hard to imagine anyone being better. For Mulkey, she’s just happy everything turned out the way it did.
“I could, right now, be a lawyer,” Mulkey said, “but I’m grateful for what I’m doing. I think I dodged a bullet there.”