HELLERTOWN, Pa. — Forty-four years of wrestling and only two regular-season matches missed.
But who’s keeping score?
Last month, Hellertown resident Cathy Leibensperger, who became Saucon Valley High School wrestling’s scorekeeper in 1980, joined a number of other greats of the sport with her induction into the Pennsylvania Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.
She was honored with the Lifetime Service to Wrestling award, which is set aside for those with “20 years or more of dedication to the development of leadership and citizenship in the youth through the sport of wrestling,” according to the NWHOF website.
"I look at the other inductees and I see people that have traveled the world, people that coached champions — I’m just a little scorekeeper from a little high school in Hellertown, Pennsylvania.”National Wrestling Hall of Famer Cathy Leibensperger
“Honestly, it’s an honor that I never thought I would get,” Leibensperger said in her Hall of Fame interview.
“I look at the other inductees and I see people that have traveled the world, people that coached champions — I’m just a little scorekeeper from a little high school in Hellertown, Pennsylvania.”
Hellertown Borough Council also provided Leibensperger with her very own proclamation, reading it into the record on May 20.
That day also was officially recognized as Cathy Leibensperger Day in the borough.
“In forty-four years, Cathy has been a constant supporter, mentor, wrestling enthusiast and Saucon Valley Wrestling’s biggest fan … Cathy has worked under every coach and athletic director at Saucon Valley, and Cathy has watched every state championship … Cathy, known as WOW (mom upside down) continues to stay in touch with most every wrestler,” the borough proclamation reads.
Hellertown Mayor David Heintzelman told Leibensperger, “You are a champion.”
A Hall of Fame-type story
Leibensperger watched her first wrestling match back in 1966, cheering on her uncle from the stands.
A snowstorm the day of a Saucon Valley-Catasauqua matchup in 1980 kept a number of wrestlers, coaches, the whole cheer squad and even the-then scorekeeper for the Panthers from attending.
Leibensperger was asked to man the books for the match, and the rest was history.
'Unwavering'
“Her pencil and scorebook may stay home, but Leibensperger treks to the Beast of the East at the University of Delaware, Williamsport's Tom Best Memorial Top Hat and any other in-season tournament each year to cheer on the Panthers,” her bio reads on the Hall of Fame website.
Saucon Valley Coach Chad Shirk called her support “unwavering.”
“It’s like having another mom in the stands. She cares about us as people, not just wrestlers on the mat.”Jason Jones, Saucon Valley wrestling career wins leader
“It’s like having another mom in the stands,” said Jason Jones, Saucon Valley's career wins leader.
“She cares about us as people, not just wrestlers on the mat.”
Among a number of memorable moments in her time keeping score for Saucon Valley, she said a tough season against rival Notre Dame made meeting them again in the 2022 state finals and winning that much sweeter.
“With the whole arena seeming to root for us was the most outstanding moment in my entire life. It was worth every second of 44 years sitting at that table to see them.”National Wrestling Hall of Famer Cathy Leibensperger, speaking on the 2022 state championship win over rival Notre Dame
“With the whole arena seeming to root for us was the most outstanding moment in my entire life,” Leibensperger said.
“It was worth every second of 44 years sitting at that table to see them.”
