
TopCat captain Stacey during the October 30th Panthers-Vikings game
When Stacey became a member of the Carolina Panthers’ TopCats dance team, bloggers and her hometown newspaper pointed out that she had achieved the “Charlotte Trifecta,” cheering for all three of Charlotte’s professional teams: the Checkmates, who dance for minor league hockey’s Charlotte Checkers, then the NBA’s Charlotte Bobcats’ Lady Cats, and then the TopCats. That doesn’t even count her first team, dancing for the ABA’s Carolina Thunder. Stacey was the first to achieve the “Charlotte Trifecta,” (observant reader Bill comments below that TopCat rookie Kristy also hit the same trifecta this season) but she also may be the only person to pull off a national feat, the “All-Star Double.” Stacey was selected to represent the Lady Cats at the 2007 NBA All-Star game in Vegas and represented the TopCats in last seasons’ Pro Bowl in Hawaii. I have a feeling no one, man or woman, has represented their teams at both the NBA and NFL all-star games, so Stacey’s feat may be truly unique. Stacey shared with UltimateCheerleaders her path from growing up in a town with one traffic light to a pro dance career that took her to the uncountable lights of Vegas and the brightest NFL stars in Hawaii.
Stacey was born in a large city, but was soon in her small home town. “I was born in Atlanta but my family moved back to West Virgina when I was one,” explains Stacey. “My entire family is from West Virgina. I grew up in a one stop light town called Chapmanville. Seriously, one stop light! Cheerleading, dance, school, and going to my brother’s ball games was my life. It is so far away from my life now, but I look back on that time with the greatest memories.”
For someone who has danced at hockey, basketball, and football games, Stacey’s childhood centered on the other of the “Big Four” sports. “My fondest memories of childhood are from the baseball field,” recalls Stacey. “My town is big into baseball so much of my childhood was at the diamond. My brother played so I was the team’s little sister, concession stand worker, team bracelet maker, and loudest fan for years. I loved every minute of it!”

Stacey’s young life was filled with family, fun, and games. “Being from a small town, family is extremely important,” Stacey relates. “My Sundays growing up were at my grandmother’s house for Sunday dinner. Other family events revolved around some type of game, whether it be croquet, volleyball, Guesstures, Taboo, Uno, or Scrabble. Being together was always number one.”
And of course, dance was a big part of Stacey’s life from early on. “I remember from the time I could make my body move I would dance, cheer, or tumble,” Stacey remembers. “I drove my brother crazy most of the time, and sometimes he would just give up and start dancing too. Mostly because he had no choice. I would stand in front of the TV and perform for my family. Which means no one ever got to watch TV and the poor carpet had a whole in it from my dancing obsession. Needless to say I wasn’t much of a shy kid! I would break into dance whenever and wherever there was an opportunity. Local restaurants, grocery stores, the beach, wherever.”
Cheerleading was in Stacey’s genes, with Stacey’s mom as head cheerleading coach at Chapmanville Regional High School. Stacey’s mom is her role model and supporter on many levels. “My mom was the greatest parent in the world,” Stacey says. “She made sure I had the support and all of the outlets I needed to feed my passion. She was my cheer coach for years, traveled 30 minutes one way three times a week for dance and gymnastics lessons, and gave me the encouragement I needed to chase my dreams. She still comes to most of my games all of these years later and she is hours away.”

“I eventually had to grow up and fly the nest,” Stacey says, who attended Morehead State University in Kentucky. “I received my degree in Exercise Physiology and cheered on an amazing team. After college I attended Marshall University’s Master’s program in Huntington, West Virginia, and received a Master’s of Business. While there, I had the wonderful opportunity to coach the dance team. It was such a great experience.”
Continue reading TopCat Stacey Parlays the “Charlotte Trifecta” into an “All-Star Double”