WIAA for girls was a long-awaited opportunity for Cathy. Fueled by her surplus physical energy, she found cheerleading as one of the few athletic outlets available to her in 1971. Her first glimpse of the competitive future was when coach Katie Curran Rebholz loaded the budding basketball team into her blue Buick Skylark and drove downtown to scrimmage the Marquette University women’s team. This was the beginning of Cathy’s journey, where she would face and overcome many challenges with her unwavering determination. After Title XIX, Cathy seized the opportunity to compete with her beloved teammates on the court and track. She particularly excelled in running the 80-yard hurdles , remaining undefeated in both her junior and senior years until the state meet finals, a testament to her competitive spirit and athletic prowess. But Cathy’s true passion was being a part of the state-winning 880-yard relay team, in 1972 and 1973. It was here that she began to understand the profound lessons of supporting and encouraging others to succeed. These experiences became the foundation of her personal growth, shaping her sports career beyond high school, where she continued to compete in triathlons and play baseball and golf. Cathy is overjoyed to witness women athletes’ significant progress since the “early days.” She is filled with hope for the future of women’s sports and will always be grateful to those who introduced her to the joy of competitive sports.
