The Lawrence Area Catbackers held their first meeting in the secrecy of the old Pizza Hut basement at 9th and Iowa Street in February 1989.  Those founding members knew there was a large number of K-State Alumni and friends living under the cloud of Blue and Red here in Lawrence.  They wanted to provide the opportunity for these dedicated but outnumbered fans to gather in numbers to support the Cats, and the Catbackers organization also offered the opportunity to not only cheer, but support K-State athletics through contributions to the Mike Ahearn Scholarship fund. 

As the organization and membership grew, the club created the Fall Kickoff Classic, an annual event at the Eldridge Hotel that includes silent and live auctions, as well as special guests from K-State to give us some inside information about the upcoming football season. 

Shortly after, a second event was added to our calendar, what is now known as the Jake Ochs Memorial Golf Tournament.  Jake was a loyal Cat and Catbacker, and a portion of the proceeds of the golf tournament work towards endowing a football scholarship in his name.  Of course these events are complemented throughout the year with watch parties for away games and tailgating at home. 

We have come a long way from meeting in a basement, as we now cheer for the Cats openly in many bars in Lawrence, including Zig and Macs where we hold our replay parties, and Biggs BBQ, where we often meet when they are on the road.

If you are interested in becoming a Catbacker or would just like to join us for an evening to watch a game, use the link on the Contact Us page and we'll be happy to let you know the next time we're getting together!

GO CATS!