The NAK is committed to preserving the legacy, impact, and inspiration of its most senior and distinguished leaders. One exciting mechanism is that of hearing from them, in their own words, what inspired them, how they navigated their own career paths, and what they believe to be their dominant contributions to the field.
Leader Speak: Interviews with Prominent Academy Leaders
To accomplish this, the Executive Board of the NAK has asked its Historian to speak with selected individuals and record their responses. Click on the photo or name to listen to the interview.
Rudisill-Pemberton Recordings with NAK Fellows: 1986
In the Spring of 1986, Mary E. Rudisill1 and Cynthia L. Pemberton, both Assistant Professors in the Department of Health, Physical Education and Recreation at the University of North Dakota at the time, reached out to several professionals in the field, including Academy Fellows. Each person was mailed a cassette tape, asked to record their responses to a series of questions, and to return the cassette tape. They did this to help students who would be taking an entry level graduate course from them better understand the major sub-disciplinary areas within the field. Respondents shared information on their academic preparation, sub-disciplinary area(s), and experience; current research focus and projected future directions; and recommendations for beginning graduate students, including words of wisdom.
There are five recordings included in this collection:
- Lawrence (Larry) F. Locke, Academy Fellow #240, inducted in 1975, represents the area of Pedagogy/Physical Education Teacher Education.
- John A. Lucas, Academy Fellow #241, inducted in 1975, represents the area of Sport History.
- George H. Sage, Academy Fellow #263, inducted in 1979, represents the area of Sport Sociology/Social Psychology of Physical Activity.
- Julian U. Stein, Academy Fellow #281, inducted in 1981, represents the area of Adapted Physical Activity/Adapted Physical Education.
- Jack H. Wilmore, Academy Fellow #252, inducted in 1977, represents the area of Exercise Physiology. Wilmore also served as Academy President during 1997–1998 and was the Academy’s Hetherington Award recipient in 2010.
1 In 2016, Rudisill was inducted as Fellow #564 in the National Academy of Kinesiology. She donated these recordings to the Academy in October of 2025.
