TopCat Stacey Parlays the “Charlotte Trifecta” into an “All-Star Double”

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.”

From a relatively stationary childhood, Stacey’s career has taken her to several states, eventually to her new hometown. “After having a blast in college, I entered the real world of adults,” Stacey says. “I started a job in pharmaceutical sales and have been doing it ever since. I have lived in Georgia, West Virginia, Kentucky, Ohio, and North Carolina. I think I have found my final home here in North Carolina! It is great!”

North Carolina has provided Stacey a chance to continue dance for three sports and four teams for her trifecta. Why did Stacey first consider pro cheer and dance? “When I moved to Charlotte I knew that I wanted to get involved in dance again, somehow,” answers Stacey. “Coming from a small place, though, I had no idea these opportunities were available. I found a dance clinic (All-Pro) that introduced me to the world of Pro Dance and a mentor, Brandii, that made all of this real. I actually tried out for the Panthers years ago but didn’t make it. I, of course, was devastated, but I needed more experience. I tried out and danced for an ABA team and a hockey team before making the NBA’s Charlotte Bobcats Dance Team.”

After her NBA All-Star season, Stacey decided it was time to hang up the poms, especially due to the grueling NBA season of dozens of home games, practices, and appearances, but soon the poms were back in action. “After being (on the Lady Cats) for a couple of years I decided to retire,” remembers Stacey. “Well, that didn’t last long. I still had this unbelievable passion and desire to be a part of the Carolina Panther’s TopCats. So, again I decided to try-out. This time the outcome was much different.”

So when Stacey joined the TopCats, she left dancing indoors for being out in the elements. How was the hoops to gridiron transition? “I can’t lie, when I made the TopCats, I was scared to death at how my hair was going to look,” admits Stacey. “I, on occasion, refer to my hair as a ‘cotton ball’ or ‘Q-tip,’ and if you have been in the South, you know what this humidity is like. Thank goodness for great hair products!”

An early season Panthers game this year provided some meteorological challenges for Stacey and the TopCats. “There is nothing like being outside for a football game…rain or shine!” Stacey explains. “And whoa, did we have a rainy game this year. I’m sure everyone saw it on ESPN! The sidelines flooded, fans were using cups to try and get water out of their seats, but the TopCats were still out there. I don’t think I could see my hand in front of my face, but dancing in that monsoon was a memory that I could never forget.”

And Stacey, all of these sports, all of these teams, and all these games, you are allowed an embarrassing moment or two; any come to mind? “As for an embarrassing/funny moment, I think I have to go with the ‘crazy bee,’” responds Stacey. “This year I was on the sideline and this enormous bee flew right at my face while I was dancing. I tried to incorporate into the choreography a ‘right-hook’ to swat the bee away. Well, I hit that bee with some force but unfortunately it was knocked straight onto my teammates face. She went into a crazy spasm with poms flying everywhere only to get the bee caught in her pom. I really can’t imagine what the fans were thinking watching two TopCats throwing right hooks and batting our faces with poms,” smiles Stacey. “Embarrassing!”

So Stacey, compare dancing with the NFL and NBA. Stacey answers, “I am so glad that I have been able to experience the NBA and NFL! There are so many wonderful things about both leagues. I am a sports fanatic so having front row seats at pro games is amazing. The NBA is a whole lot closer so you are right there with the fans. I think my favorite part of NBA was the ‘theme’ dances. SO MUCH FUN! Also, I was fairly new to Charlotte when I started NBA, so I developed my core group of girlfriends from those days. I have the best and dearest friends from my time there!”

Then there is football, Bank of America Stadium, tens and tens of thousands of fans. Stacey continues, “So, on to the NFL…AMAZING! I love everything that the Panthers represent. We are a ‘family’ and I think that shows! I get goose bumps every game when I line up in the tunnel. It never fails. The fans are so excited this year, and I feel that energy when I run out on the field. I love it all; dancing in the end zones, pumping up the crowd, being on the field with amazing women, interacting with the fans, cheering on our team, being involved in our community…I could go on and on and on! I am one lucky girl to have memories from both NBA and NFL!”

Stacey has been a part of pro dance across several teams and sports, so pro cheer must have had quite an impact on her. “I have had the most amazing three years,” Stacey says. “Being a part of the Panther’s organization has changed my life in so many ways. I have gotten to touch so many lives by having this platform and in return my life has been forever touched. Pro dance adds so much purpose, friendships, excitement, passion and overall joy to my life. I could not have dreamed that being a professional cheerleader could have such an impact. The experiences I have had will be something I can share with my kids and grandkids one day.”

And the unmatched part of Stacey’s journey is her two All-Star game appearances. “I have been truly blessed to have been selected for both the NBA and NFL All-Star Games,” Stacey reflects. “I still can’t believe that it has happened sometimes. It was such an honor to be chosen to represent my teammates and organizations at these events.”

“My greatest memories from both Vegas and Hawaii were the people that I was able to meet,” Stacey continues. “The choreographers, staff, mascots, and, most importantly, the other cheerleaders. Even though I was meeting girls from other teams for the first time, it immediately felt like family. Our passion for dancing, entertaining, and helping others was an instant bond. I hope that they decide to have another NBA All-Star Team someday. Pro Bowl was obviously the most recent and I still sit and daydream about my experiences. Being in Hawaii for the Pro Bowl is something that will never ever be forgotten. The Hawaiian people were so welcoming and treated us like royalty. We were able to interact with the military and their children, see the Hawaiian culture, have some fun, and cheer our NFC team to a victory,” smiles Stacey.

Of the special connections that Stacey made with her Pro Bowl cheer family, she states, “I loved all of the girls, especially my ‘NUGGET’ line. Go Falcons, Eagles, Bucs, Seahawks, Rams, and, of course, the Panthers…little Nuggets! ‘Nuggets, nuggets,…what,…nuggets, nuggets…who!’” laughs Stacey. “I also have to give some love to my roommate and beautiful Vikings Cheerleader Kristina! I left Hawaii a different person. I was influenced and motivated in a new way. Ron with E2K left an impression on my life that will never go away! He made all of us see how important our role is and how much we can bring to the lives of others. Pro Bowl exceeded every dream that I have ever had when it comes to cheering.”

Now Stacey can take all of her varied experiences and apply it to being a captain for the TopCats, to lead her line. “I love being a captain on our team,” Stacey says. “This is my second year as captain, and I have given rookies the same advice before their first game. I have told them to try not to get overwhelmed so they can take in the little moments. Step back and look around at the fans, the players, the entire atmosphere! It is such an amazing feeling the first time you are on that field and I wanted them to remember as much as they could. Also, I tell them to focus on one dance at a time. Once we get through that one, then start thinking about the next! And mainly, have a blast! My job is to let them know what is coming next, their job at that first game is to have the time of their life.”

And though cheer is a big part of Stacey’s life, she has a busy life working in the pharmaceutical industry. Are their patient or physician stories that motivate Stacey that medical research and products can make an important impact on people’s lives? “Seeing the impact a medication can have on someone’s life is why I have been in pharmaceutical sales for so long,” answers Stacey. “To know that my company made a product that saved a patient’s life that ate a peanut butter sandwich or our other product helped a patient breathe better so they could go to the park with their grandkids is why medical research is so important. Whether a product can cure a disease or improve the quality of someone’s life, medical research makes that possible. Being on the front lines and seeing how a life can be changed or improved is extremely rewarding.”

Charlotte and the Panthers fans are being rewarded for their recent patience with the upside of having the number one draft pick, Cam Newton. “Cam has brought an excitement to this town and to the stadium that is infectious,” Stacey comments. “The fans are back in it! My first two seasons were fun, but I had never experienced the fans like they are this year. They are screaming, cheering, chanting, and having fun. Drafting Cam is what this town needed. He has ignited the fans and they can’t wait to see him every Sunday!”

And Panthers fans also love seeing Stacey and the high kicking TopCats every Sunday. They have been fortunate that Stacey has been a constant of the tapestry of Charlotte sports scene, and that neither humidity, nor downpours, nor crazy bees can dampen Stacey’s enthusiasm or remove her smile. Stacey learned devotion from her mom, being around baseball taught her how sports can provide the satisfaction of participation and teamwork, and appreciating her own mentors makes her a perfect mentor herself. Stacey’s “trifecta” of Charlotte teams and “All-Star double” make her the “Perfecta” pro cheerleader.

We thank Stacey so much for taking time out of her busy schedule so that we can learn about her unique experiences! And we couldn’t have done it without Richelle Grant and Tina Becker of the TopCats organization for all of their superb help.

Here are some additional photos of Stacey from the Panthers October 30th home game. Left click on each photo once to see the entire photo, then left click on that image to see full size photos: