The founders of the Lawrence Area Catbackers were local K-Staters who knew there were many fellow K-Staters living under a cloud of red and blue in Lawrence and Douglas County. Their desire to gather in numbers in support of the Cats led to the first meeting of the Lawrence Area Catbackers, in February 1989, in the dark and secret seclusion of the basement of the old Pizza Hut at 9th & Iowa in Lawrence. As part of the Catbackers organization at K-State, the group was able to gather in support of the Cats, and also able to support K-State Athletics through contributions to the Mike Ahearn Scholarship Fund.

As the Lawrence Area Catbackers membership grew, the Fall Football Kickoff Classic was created. An annual event held in August at The Eldridge Hotel, the Kickoff Classic offers live and silent auctions of many K-State items, an opportunity to meet and listen to special guests from K-State, and an opportunity to socialize with other Cat fans from Lawrence and Douglas County.

A golf tournament, now known as the Jake Ochs Golf Classic, was soon added to the calendar. The event is named in memory of J.B. “Jake” Ochs, a dedicated Wildcat fan and one of the founders of the Lawrence Area Catbackers group. A portion of the tournament proceeds goes toward endowing a football scholarship in his name at Kansas State University.

With the Kickoff Classic, the Jake Ochs Golf Classic, watch parties for away football and basketball games, and tailgating at home football games, the Lawrence Area Catbackers have come a long way from the Pizza Hut basement. Watch parties and meetings are now hosted by several Lawrence restaurants, and thousands of dollars are raised annually in support of Lawrence Area Catbacker activities.

GO CATS!!