The Wolf Wall and Cathy Buckey

As you may have read, I have openly admitted to being a complete nerd.  Seriously.  Art/art history, fashion, cheer- whatever it is I am into I always try to read and find out more...and I often have my own personal 'rock stars' associated with these things...for instance, for art/art history it would be Frida Kahlo, Henri Matisse, Gustav Klimt, Alphonse Mucha and Pablo Picasso- just to name a few.  For fashion...let's just say if I ever saw Tim Gunn in person I would have him signed my bedazzled copy of his 'Fashion Bible' and then pass out. 

As for cheerleading, my 'rock star' is Cathy Buckey.

Now, if you Google Cathy Buckey you will find out she coached at North Carolina State University from 1979-1998, which included three  Collegiate National Cheerleading Championships.  She started her own cheerleading camp company in 1979 (I attended it as a camper!), and is still around today as Champion Cheer and Dance competition company.   It was under her coaching that the 'Wolf Wall' stunt was created in 1985. Her NCSU squad was featured in the opening ceremonies of the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, GA.   She is an honored coach, judge, choreographer, commentator and businesswoman with a huge list of accolades- these were just a few.

When I was in high school, I knew who Cathy Buckey was.  I had attended her camp in Raleigh, NC and I knew that he NCSU team and Champion staff were amazing.  I remember going to watch a cheerleading competition my sophomore year (?) in Greensboro, NC.  Cathy Buckey was on the judging panel.  I kind of watched the competition, but I also watched Cathy.  What did she see?  What did she think of that routine?  After the competition I walked down from the stands, I guess I was 16-17 years old, and I introduced myself to her and shook her hand.  I probably gushed some nerdiness about the history of cheerleading or how I loved her camp...not sure...I was seeing stars...

According to the interwebs this was the 1986 NCSU Cheerleadng team, the first Collegiate National Champions. (1986, 1990, 1991)

...they still do the wolf wall today at NCSU and all over the world! Now THAT is pretty darn cool!


To me- I had just met a celebrity. A cheerleading celebrity.

Years later I would try out for a spot on her summer camp staff, and I made it.  I worked that summer before college, just a few camps, but loved every minute of it.  

After undergrad we moved to Raleigh and I reconnected with Cathy again.  I started to help with her cheerleading competitions; judging some and later doing verbal critiques of the routines as they were performed.  I loved doing the recordings, it made me feel like a commentator on ESPN.  Then I would work for Cathy at her home office, helping with  paperwork and recruitment for her competitions.  I got to know her pets.  I made friends with Andrea, another gal in the office, and we planned our weddings and wondered when our men-folk would propose to us. (Spoiler Alert: We both ended up getting engaged that summer!) I even served as a Camp Administrator for some of the cheer camps...camps like I had attended myself years before as a camper.

And I guess that was when Cathy Buckey, the cheer rock star became one more thing- my friend.

I can't imagine even having a serious discussion about cheerleading- not only my personal experience but cheerleading on a regional, national...heck, INTERNATIONAL level without mentioning Cathy Buckey.  And maybe I am biased, but as an official cheer nerd, I think she is pretty important in the history of cheerleading and I chose to honor her today with my artwork.
 
You know, I haven't talked to Cathy in years, pretty much since I moved to Florida.  I wish that I would have taken time to get a picture when we were in the office, or at a competition.  So Cathy, if you're reading this- when I come home for Christmas I want to meet up with you, give you a hug, and catch up.  You're amazing.  Thank you for being such an important person in my life, and for the sport I love so dearly.

Oh, and I have this lil' piece of art for ya!
 

My daily art...for Cathy!