CATEY MCCREARY
PHS CLASS OF 1983
Barrier Breaking. Pioneer of Women’s sports. 7 Varsity Letters.
Catherine “Catey” McCreary (Class of 1983), is a respected sports icon for women’s sports in the Piedmont Community. From her time as a playground warrior at Wildwood Elementary, all day, every day, through her career as a multiple sport athlete at Piedmont High School, her passion for competition and joy of playing sports helped establish and normalize the idea of female athletes in the community.
Catey was instrumental in breaking the barriers of boy's sports in the community, being the first girl on the Piedmont Soccer Club when there were only two teams-boy's teams. In 1974, it was against the rules for her to play in a game, and if she did, the team would need to forfeit. Thankfully those rules changed later that year-two years AFTER title IX. Catey was a participant in the inaugural season of Peppermint Patty softball as a 3rd grader playing first base to 6th grader Becky Richter's rocket throws before moving to minor and major league boy's baseball.
During her athletic career at PHS, Catey was a fierce competitor who learned much from playing team sports. From 1979 to 1983, she started Varsity Softball all four years and was named co- captain for her senior season. She earned all league twice, honorable mention once, had over .990 fielding average and struck out only 4 times in her career. She also started three years of Varsity Basketball, earning All-League honors her senior year and honorable mention junior year. Having learned and developed the concept of "team" over her four years as a high school athlete, the majority of PHS games her senior year ended in double-doubles, not just for Catey, but for others on the team as well. Throughout her career, she has earned Team MVP, Team Most Inspirational and was named all-tournament MVP at Benicia High School her Senior Season. Catey also played left wing in a women's soccer league with Coach Bruce Furst in the Spring of her junior and senior years. She was part of the stats group for PHS football, trading off time between working on stats or spotting for her Dad, Hunter McCreary, as he announced PHS football games.
Catey served as ASB Senior Class President and played trumpet in the orchestra, playing in 4 G&S operettas and Spring Musicals. She made the softball team at Cal Poly, SLO her freshmen year, and to the complete surprise of her parents, chose to focus on academics instead. Today, she is still active, playing golf and walking; she credits team sports for her love of organizational behavior, team dynamics and operational success in the workplace. She has volunteered with youth at camps and clinics, and recently as a stroke and turn official with USA Swimming. She is currently enjoying watching her daughter, Abigail, create her own path through swimming and volleyball.
