Midwest Members Credit Union Female Athlete Of The Month: Oilers Senior Aubrey Cathey Excels in High School Cheerleading

WOOD RIVER - Aubrey Cathey, a senior at East Alton-Wood River High School, is being recognized for cheer after a decade in the sport and a senior season that included learning and performing advanced stunts in new roles.

Cathey said her “strong passion and love for cheer” helped lead to the recognition.

“I was never able to do anything, and cheer wasn't how I expected it, but I was able to start as a base and then my senior year I was a backspot and with both positions I was able to learn how to do really hard stunts and make them look easy,” she said.

She has cheered “off and on for ten years” and said the bond with teammates has been a key part of the experience.

“I love the bond my teammates and I have, I love being able to compete with my favorite girls, and stunt,” Cathey said.

Aubrey is a Midwest Members Credit Union Female Athlete of the Month for the Oilers.

Cathey credited cheer with helping her grow socially during high school.

“My involvement in cheer while in high school has got me close with girls I never would've talked to, and it helped me become a lot more outgoing,” she said.

She also pointed to academic progress, saying she “managed a 3.0-3.2 GPA throughout high school after struggling for many years.”

Cathey said she is coached by Alison Beachum.

In reflecting on the people who supported her, Cathey mentioned family members and others.

“My grandpa is definitely someone who I do a lot of things for just because I want to make him proud from up in heaven,” she said.

She also thanked her mother, saying she is “always supporting me no matter the distance of events,” along with her boyfriend and sister.

“I want to thank my boyfriend for always being there and telling me I can do anything when I don't believe in myself, and I want to thank my baby sister for looking up to me and loving to see what I can do,” Cathey said.

She also thanked her aunt. “Lastly, I want to thank my aunt Ashley for always supporting me and having my back and for teaching me how to do what I know best and not let people who are jealous get to me,” she said.

Outside of school, Cathey said she works, and when she is not working, she enjoys bowling and spending time with her boyfriend and sister.

Cathey said she does not plan to continue cheering in college. She said she plans to attend school to become an ultrasound technician.

Before high school, Cathey said she had backspotted in middle school, then spent her sophomore and junior years as a base before returning to backspotting during her senior competition season.

She said that shift included performing “hard level 4 stunts,” adding that “when I first tried them, I hit them on the first or second try.”

Cathey also participated in bowling as a freshman.

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