Sustaining Success

Nearly 400 Catbacker members, K-State Coaches and athletes converged on the Hawker Beechcraft Activity Center June 18th, 2008. After socializing with other members and K-State guests while enjoying beverages in new color changing cups, Catbackers wrote down their bids on over 90 silent auction items. A delicious BBQ dinner followed, and soon Catbacker President Ed Frey kicked off the evening's speeches with the presentation of Honorary Memberships and an overview of the past Catbacker year.

A pride-rousing video highlighting K-State athletics, "This is My K-State", preceeded K-State's new Athletic Director, Bob Krause. Krause gave a poewerful speech on the recent success of K-State athletics and outlined steps the University needs to take to retain the high level of competitive success that we have enjoyed over the past decade and a half. Coaches Martin, Patterson, Prince, and Brock gave enlightening speeches on how they have come to terms with accepting the fact of losing several of the greatest athletes in recent history in Beasley, Walker, Nelson, and Dietz to name a few, but ensured that the future looks strong with the classes of today and tomorrow. The promising and sometimes comical speeches by Freeman, Kent, and Hall gave encouragment of a growing comradery amongst athletes, especially during trying times like the tornado devestation to Manhattan in early June.

With the strong attendance followed strong bidding on both the live and silent auction items. Memorbilia of the successful men's basketball season brought high bids: a framed and autographed Beasley jersey sold for $3,200. In all, the auction items pulled in over $16,000. Congratulations Catbackers... your enthusiastic support has made this another successful event!