Bridge City High School Strutters

Cathy Parks Riley
Director, 1997 to Present

Mrs. Cathy Riley is the director of the Bridge City High School Strutters. Cathy is a graduate of Nederland High School where she served as lieutenant of the Westernaires Drill Team. At that time, the Westernaires did not compete, but Cathy took her “Squad B” to local competitions and placed first.

Receiving a dance scholarship from an unnamed college, Cathy decided that she really wanted to try out for the renowned Kilgore College Rangerettes. So in 1974, she did just that. It had always been a dream of hers, and she knew she had to take the risk instead of never knowing. Cathy was a member of the Kilgore Rangerettes from 1974-1976. While a Rangerette, she traveled and performed at Hong Kong, Macao, Korea, Hawaii, and New York. She was most fortunate to have Gussie Nell Davis as her director and the originator of the drill team.

Cathy continued her education at Lamar University in Beaumont and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in education. While at Lamar, she became a charter member of Kappa Delta Pi Honor Society in Education. She is certified to teach Advanced Placement English, Reading, History, Dance, and Physical Education.

As director of the Bridge City Strutters, Cathy Riley implemented a full year program with P.E. and Dance credits, the Strutters BOOTster Club, Strutters Clinic, and Strutters Spring Revue. She was nominated as one of four finalists as Texas Drill Team Director of the Year by the Texas Dance Educators Association and most recently was awarded Director Award of Excellence at the American Dance Association National Competition. The Bridge City Strutters won the National Championship (medium category) at this competition in 2008.

Cathy judges drill team tryouts and contests across the state of Texas, is a lifetime member of Rangerettes Forever where she chaperones the Rangerette summer camp for high school and college students, a member of TDEA, DTDA, Aggie Moms, and TCTA. Presently, Cathy teaches AP English IV, English IV, English I Honors, and Strutters dance class.

Being married for thirty-two years to James Riley, their family consists of son Ryan and wife, Julie, and daughter Kim and husband, J.T., and their two sons, Cade and Cole.