Carole Crawford Walker - Choreographer 80's

I believe I took over as Dance Director of the Dolls around 1982? When Glenda Pewters resigned, I was hired.

My first year was a little tough as the girls on the team were devotees to Glenda and had been were very active in the creative process, and I understood that. After all, I was young myself and they didn’t know me from Adam and, so I just went with the flow learning the process. We performed sidelines and pregame or halftimes using the music of the visiting bands which was a bit of a challenge at times. I believe they split the responsibilities at that time into two positions. Director of the Dolls was a woman named Sherry Johnson. However, she left that position around 1981 and Linda Shank was hired. Linda took a personal interest in the girls and was an excellent representative for the group. We clicked immediately and that’s when things began to happen. I grew weary of being compared to the Cowboy Cheerleaders. I always felt that our team had as much talent, beauty, and potential as the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders, so Linda and I started putting together a plan to get approval for a USO Show.

Linda worked the business angle and I worked the creative side, trying out dancers, singers, picking a theme, music, etc. After two return visits by the USO, critiquing and tweaking the show, we were approved. Christmas 1983 with me 6 months pregnant, we were sent to entertain the troops at bases in Germany, our home base being Ram stein AFB. The following year we were sent to bases in Alaska and the Aleutian Chain. We were excited about the prospects of USO Tour for 1985, but unfortunately the Dolls were disbanded for a short time and that never came to be. Putting the show together and seeing it through to the end was one of the high points of my professional life. Not only that, but I made a lifelong friend in Linda Shank which I will always be thankful for.

All good things must come to an end, but I look at my short time with the Dolls as a cherished memory and made many lovely friendships, some who I still see on Facebook.

I was involved with the Drill Team Community when I was hired by the Houston Oilers. I had been a director and taught and choreographed for camps and teams in Texas. I was also a certified Jazzercise Franchisee. I left the drill team world behind, but continued on with Jazzercise and owned several centers. At this time I own Spring Klein Jazzercise, a Premier Center, on Louetta in Spring, TX. and some classes in Tomball, TX. The baby I carried on USO Tour is now 33 and the son who is 38 still recalls being coddled and flirted with by Derrick Dolls!!

Life is good.......Long live the Derrick Dolls!

Carole Walker