The Prettiest Part of Football

L to R: Delaney, Toni, Lesha, Rachel, Madison
Photo: Arthur Garcia for Select Studios

When it comes to the Houston Texans Cheerleaders (HTC) there are a few mainstays. For example, the legendary and highly coveted red boots. Big hair and brighter smiles are another. All of that (and more) are thanks in part to Coach ALTO GARY. Coach Alto has been running HTC since its inception dating back 14 years. HTC tryouts are quickly approaching and this is the year to get on board. “Not only are we training for next season, we’re going to start training for the Super Bowl – now is the time,” Coach Alto says. Competition is tough. Out of all the contestants, Coach can take 35 girls, max. Everyone brings something different to the field. Here’s what Coach Alto said stands out about these five ladies aside from the fact “they all lead by example”:

Delaney: She’s not afraid to laugh at herself. She also brings a sense of maturity to the squad.

Toni: I love the curly hair and she’s just so nice. She goes beyond the call of duty, all the time.

Lesha: She has a lot of layers. She’s stern – that’s not a bad thing. Girls take her seriously.

Rachel: I call her my Jenny McCarthy – she’s funny, she’s loud and she always steps up when we need something.

Madison: She comes from the pageant world; she’s definitely a natural leader and very poised.

DELANEY

Dream car: Range Rover

Pizza toppings: Pepperoni. Or just cheese.

Longest road trip: DC

Favorite restaurant: “I’m pretty simple – I like Outback.”

TONI

Dream car: BMW 6Series

Pizza toppings: Pepperoni and jalapenos

Longest road trip: Tennessee

Favorite Houston restaurant: Boheme. “I’m obsessed. I like the pizzas and the atmosphere.”

LESHA

Pizza toppings: Hamburger, sausage and extra cheese

Longest road trip: Tennessee – it was already 16 hours, and we made a wrong turn so that added 3 hours!

Most random thing in your Google Search: I Google every celebrity – what they wear and what makeup products they use.

RACHEL

Favorite karaoke song: Carrie Underwood’s Before He Cheats

Pizza toppings: Pepperoni

Weirdest in thing in your recent Google history: Myself

Dream car: Big trucks or a Tahoe

MADISON

Pizza toppings: Chicken and artichokes

Longest road trip: I went to Tennessee for a Texans away game. It was a long road trip, but a fun one!

Most random thing in your Google Search: When I was in high school, I ran track. There was a 4×1 where I fell and skinned up the back of my legs – I’m sure that’s somewhere on Google.

HTC TRYOUTS: March 28th Sign up at www.HoustonTexans.com

COACH ALTO’S TRYOUT TIPS: – What you wear. Wear something that looks good on you, Coach says. – If you want to rock tennis shoes, rock on. – Stand out. Whether it’s your smile or the fact you’re having an absolute blast. – Positive attitude. This goes further than being a good dancer, she says. – Don’t get frustrated. Have fun and keep going.

To see our behind the scenes interview with these lovely ladies, visit this YouTube clip.

This article originally ran in the print edition of Local Houston Magazine (March 2015), which was their first-ever sports issue. For the online version of this article, click here.