Oral History of Connie Laveaux Howard

Oral History of Connie Laveaux Howard

Connie Laveaux Howard was born in Many, Louisiana and moved to Houston in 1976. Howard was one of the original Houston Oiler cheerleaders when the program started in 1978. In this interview, Howard explains how she came to be a cheerleader. She drove a friend to the cheerleader tryouts on June 3, 1978 and was sitting in the bleachers watching when she was introduced to one of the judges. Howard decided to tryout and made the first cut and was selected to be an alternate. As rehearsals went on, the judges noted that some of the alternates were excellent dancers (including Howard), so the alternates were chosen to be cheerleaders, too. The Derrick Dolls - as the cheerleaders were known - pumped up the crowds at football games, made public appearances, acted as grand marshals in parades and took photographs with dignitaries. The Derrick Dolls were given just had one uniform and it had to last the entire season, Howard shares her favorite memory of the Astrodome: her first year was also Earl Campbell's first year, and she describes the powerful experience of the players and cheerleaders running out to the field at the beginning of a game.

11/14/2015

2015-11-14

Used by permission - no re-use. Contact the original copyright holder for permission to re-use this item.

Houston Public Library

Castillo, Caroline

Howard, Connie Laveaux

mp4