Bowling in the Bayou Region
Kelby Toups staff In South Louisiana, bowling alleys created big communities that enjoy the sport both for casual and competitive players. However, with the decline in demand for these bowling alleys, there aren’t many locations left to enjoy. Creole Lanes is the only surviving bowling alley in the Houma-Thibodaux area. Located in Houma, Louisiana, Creole Lanes opened its doors in 1983. “In order for the bowling alley to stay in business, we always want to keep that middle ground to benefit from our competitive players and the families and friend groups,” says Zachary Jones, a long-time manager at Creole Lanes. “In order for the bowling alley to stay in business, we always want to keep that middle ground to benefit from our competitive players and the families and friend groups.” Zachary Jones Twenty years ago, Jones says “Evergreen Junior High would have their PE classes come every so often to give their students class credit to bowl.” While Creole Lanes is still up and running today, some bowling alleys were not as fortunate. In the Thibodaux area, there was Thunder Bowl, which went by a few names before ultimately shutting down. Johnny Craig, the original owner, opened the bowling alley as Sugar Bowl in 1965. It was later changed to Gator Bowl by Allen and Cindy Parks around the late ’80s. In the early 2000s, Buster Lagarde bought the bowling alley and changed the name to Thunder Bowl. In 2014, the bowling alley was then changed to Hickory Lanes. The bowling alley shut down officially in 2018. What Happened? David Boudreaux, a Thibodaux native, says “In a 12-lane house, you can bowl on lanes 1 and 2 and know what was going on at lanes 11 and 12. It was sort of a family atmosphere where everyone knew each other that would bowl there.” Thunder Bowl was mainly built for the competitive scene of bowling, but once they started losing their older and more frequent customers , they began to notice a big loss in revenue. Thunder Bowl shut down in 2018, but the building still stands today on Hickory Street right off of St. Mary Street in Thibodaux. Looking outside of the Houma-Thibodaux area, there is Steelwood Lanes which is located in Morgan City, Louisiana. Steelwood Lanes was built in 1961 and is still in business today. Unlike most other bowling alleys, Steelwood Lanes had a unique building layout. Dylan DuPree, the owner of Steelwood Lanes, explains, “One thing about Steelwood is that we are one of the only Brunswick bowling centers in the United States that was built with a second story.” This second story acts as a bar that allows guests to oversee the bowling lanes. The bar area is still there to this day, however, it is currently under renovation. When it comes to bowling, Steelwood Lanes shows its competitive side by hosting tournaments with the Morgan City USBC Bowling Association. Their tournaments allow everyone to take part in the fun while fundraising for different causes. Back in October of 2022, they hosted a tournament called “Strike Out Breast Cancer, Spare a Pair” in support of Breast Cancer Awareness. more bowling coverage
Bowl South
Kelby Toups staff Bowl South of Louisiana was one of the few bowling alleys located in Houma from 1992 until the damage from Hurricane Ida in 2021 forced it to close. “It did not just tear apart the building, it also took away something that meant the most to the community,” says former Bowl South employee Jason Ledet. Originally named East Side Bowl, it was renamed Bowl South of Louisiana in February 1992. The bowling alley consisted of a snack bar and grill, a sports bar, a pro shop, and 24 bowling lanes. Throughout its time, the bowling alley hosted many league tournaments, high school team matches, and fundraiser events for the community. “It was like my second home,” says Larry Grabert, a long-time bowler and employee. “Both owners Marie and Terry Lirette, who never had kids of their own, became like my second parents.” Like Grabert, it was considered by many as a second home with a large, and consistently growing community. “That place for countless bowlers was not simply a bowling center, but it was like home,” says RJ Ugas, a former mechanic for Bowl South. “That place for countless bowlers was not simply a bowling center, but it was like home.” RJ Ugas On August 29, 2021, Hurricane Ida made landfall in Port Fourchon making its way north through the Houma-Thibodaux area. The hurricane wiped out many well-known landmarks including Bowl South, destroying the building and causing Marie and Terry to shut down the business. Bowl South Branding Bowl South Bowl South 1992 The Classic League more bowling stories
Water Activities
Alayna Yarwood staff Going for a swim or spending the day at the lake was a classic summer activity for youth who grew up in the heat of South Louisiana. Areas like Fourchon Beach, Lake Salvador, Elmer’s Island and Grand Isle were regular spots in South Louisiana for young adults and teens to visit during the summer months. “We would take the boat to Lake Salvador – there was a place we called Shell Beach. We would anchor just off the beach where it was about three feet deep and swim,” says Wade Fanguy, a native of Larose, Louisiana. “After a while, we would go skiing and hydroslide in the lake. On the 4th of July, it was packed with boats.” Melissa Fanguy, who grew up in Golden Meadow, says water skiing and hydrosliding were popular activities at lakes, beaches and on the bayou. “My older brothers and their friends used to take my dad’s boat out on the bayou and water ski. I was afraid that there were alligators in the water, but I worked up the courage to get in.” says Fanguy. “My older brothers and their friends used to take my dad’s boat out on the bayou and water ski.” Melissa Fanguy Along with the thrill of bayous and beaches, many families had their own pools to enjoy. “My grandparents had a pool,” Tony Leger says. “We swam all day into the late-night hours. We played Marco Polo and tag. We made whirlpools and did cannon balls. My father threw us in with the directions to drown or swim. That was our swimming lesson.” Public pools were also common during the summer months. The Cut Off Youth Center, Golden Meadow Pool, and Lockport Pool were regular hangout spots. Holly Griffin recalls going to the Cut Off pool for swimming lessons. “We spent many of our afternoons at the Cut Off Pool, it was kind of like a babysitting service,” Griffin says. Although the Lockport Pool is permanently closed, the Golden Meadow Pool and Cut Off Youth Center are still open today. Melissa Fanguy says, “Every now and then I see youth water skiing or hydrosliding in the bayou, but definitely not as often or as many in the past. Going to Fourchon and Grand Isle is still very popular.” Lake Salvador Couple at Lake Salvador Fourchon Beach Early 90s Hydrosliding on Lake Salvador. Fourchon Beach More water activities
YMCA
Zoe Hebert staff In 1984, Bayouland YMCA was opened in Houma as a community fitness center. Bayouland YMCA offers many facilities to their customers such as an aerobics center, fitness center, gym, outdoor field, pool, sauna, weight room, whirlpool, playground, and a youth gym. “My wife and kids are always stoked to go swimming at the YMCA,” says Derek Legendre, a resident of Houma. “This is our family’s way of self care.” “My wife and kids are always stoked to go swimming at the YMCA.” Derek Legendre Not only is the YMCA a great recreational center for youth to have access to but many fun events and activities are also held by the organization; giving young kids and teens in Houma the opportunity to get out of the house and into the community. Due to Hurricane Ida, the Y suffered a lot of damage from the storm. It took around five months to get the building back up to standards before reopening to the public. “Although the YMCA had damages from the storm, we were the only summer camp that stayed open for the children,” Andrea Doiren, a past employee of YMCA. “It was great to see that the youth in our town had the chance to still be kids and have somewhere fun to be.” YMCA Gym 1999 YMCA Pool Diving in YMCA pool Bayouland YMCA in Houma
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Roller Skating Overview
Jordyn Voisin features editor Roller skating became a popular pastime across the United States in the 1880s and made its way to South Louisiana in 1869 when the first rink opened in New Orleans. Since then, multiple rinks have come and gone along Southeast Louisiana, including Aggies Skate Connection in Houma, Wheels R Rollin in Schriever, Plaquemine Pop-up Skating Rink, and The Skate Connection in Patterson. Teenagers and young adults would spend their weekends skating, attending lock-ins, and hanging out with friends at their local rink. Skylia Concienne attended Patterson’s popular rink, The Skate Connection, while growing up in the 2000s. “My favorite thing was how simple everything was; you got to hang out with your friends in a safe, controlled environment,” Concienne says. The rink offered different food and drinks as well as a fun, laid-back atmosphere where kids could not only skate but dance and hang out all night long. Celena Cunningham Courteaux, who ran The Skate Connection from 1987 to 1988 says, “I loved meeting people and making new friends at the rink.” “I loved meeting people and making new friends at the rink.” Celena Cunningham Courteaux Courteaux recalled lock-ins and birthday parties as the main events that kept people coming in, but sadly, the rink couldn’t stay afloat and closed its doors after 30 years in 2010. “Many rinks close down because of the mom-and-pop owners tiring out, and wanting to retire,” says Tish Foret, the owner of Aggie’s Skate Connection in Houma. “The rink then gets bought for its size and property.” Foret says that when people buy the rinks they don’t keep them as rinks, but usually use them for other things. The Skate Connection is a perfect example. It is now converted into apartments, a church, and a thrift store on one side, and a snowball stand on the other. Despite the closures of various rinks like the Plaquemine Pop-Up Skating Rink and The Skate Connection, Foret’s rink is still going strong. Aggie’s opened in 1998 and Foret has owned it for 25 years. “It’s not that kids don’t skate anymore, it’s a lack of people with a passion to run a rink,” Foret says. “You have to be a total extrovert and love talking to people and being in a party atmosphere.” Aggie’s biggest asset is the skating parties that they hold. The customer has the option of a two-hour party on either Saturday or Sunday including food and beverages of their choice. Multiple generations over the years have come to Aggie’s to skate and Foret says they have many loyal regulars that come skate every weekend. “I love when kids that were regulars grow up then come back with their children,” says Foret. Although rinks may not be as popular as they once were, there is still a piece of them that lives on in the kids who grew up on those wooden floors. more skating coverage
College Life
Delaney Ligori Staff Nicholls State University’s The Nicholls Worth has been reporting on campus-wide affairs since 1948, giving a glimpse into the lost and changing culture of the Bayou Region’s only university. “Everything we needed to know was in the Nicholls Worth, we looked forward to reading it every week,” says Warren Young, Nicholls alumni class of ’88. “It had class schedules, club meeting details, campus events, and bar schedules for the best nights to drink.” “Everything we needed to know was in the Nicholls Worth, we looked forward to reading it every week.” Warren Young One of the biggest campus events was Western Week, which started in 1956 and was eventually discontinued in the ’90s. It allowed students that “final let-it-out fling” before exams began. The week included students being hit with eggs, a cow and goat milking contest, tobacco chewing, greased pig contests, hog calling and a game of tug-of-war while being sprayed by a water hose. A previous issue of the Nicholls Worth in 1963 writes, “The egg throwing, sheep dressing, beard judging, best western dress and cow milking contests were among other things to occupy the attention and provide fun. Yep, pardner, it was fun.” “Back in the early days of Nicholls, we were very much an agricultural school,” says James Stewart, the Nicholls Worth editor in 1984 and current mass communication professor. “Western week was a big deal, like for us, (now in 2023) Crawfish Day, but even bigger.” Along with Western Week, The Nicholls Worth also reported on the famous freshman class initiation. In 1968, the students were encouraged to cut their hair. Every other grade classification knew which students were the freshmen. The Nicholls Worth reported in 1968 as a photo caption, “Freshmen with bright faces and brighter scalps were welcomed to Nicholls… Most of them were men, but there were [many] coeds. After upperclassmen taught them the Alma Mater and the fight song, freshmen were assembled in the [quad] before being dismissed to begin registration. It took seven barbers two hours to clip freshmen’s hair.” Three weeks after the college opened, the freshman initiated this tradition. With it being only three years after World War II, Nicholls still had some returning soldiers. ROTC on campus was also a big influence. Traditions remained strong for Nicholls as the campus kept the community involved. Unfortunately, this 2000s decade of undergraduate students have never heard of Western Week or experienced any freshman initiation. Hopefully, this rekindled past memories to reintroduce what has been lost. Western Week Excerpt and Photos Colonel Retreat Advertisement Freshman Initiation Military WWII Influence Western Week Article Kick the Keg- Western Week
Aggie’s Skate Connection
Zoe Hebert Staff While many skating rinks in the Bayou Region have closed, Aggie’s Skate Connection in Houma is still going strong, celebrating their 25th anniversary March 7. “I love watching my customers smile, laugh, and truly enjoy themselves,” says current owner Tish Aguillard, who has managed Aggie’s since 1998. “I try to play all happy go lucky good vibe music for them.” “I love watching customers smile, laugh, and truly enjoy themselves.” Tish Aguillard The rink is part of a family tradition that started with Aguillard’s grandfather, Raeburn Ardoin, in 1952 when he built his first skating rink. Aggie’s has had several names and locations, but is now down to just Aggie’s Skate Connection on Main Street in Houma, which opened in 1998. For many adults now, skating was a huge part of their childhood years. Aggies was and still is the place where many young children learn how to skate, have birthday parties, and take school field trips. It even has been the spot for people to book private events, skating all night. “One of the best memories I have from there is when we would all stop in the middle of the rink and start dancing to the Chicken Dance,” says Julia Eagle, a former Houma resident. “It was awesome to see everyone come together collectively, dancing and having fun to this classic party song.” Aggie’s Skating Connection Owner Skating at Aggie’s Aggie’s Skating Connection 2000 Dancing at Aggie’s 1999 more skating coverage
Plaquemine Pop-Up
Victoria Davis- Abad Staff The Plaquemine Skating Rink, also called the Plaquemine Pop-Up, opened in 1953 and closed in the late 1970s to early 1980s. The wooden floor rink was in an off-the-ground, temporary tent that was set up as soon as school closed for summer. The skating rink even sparked a Facebook group with almost 200 members named Plaquemine Skating Rink for people to share memories. The group is filled with summer memories of cold Coca-Cola and great music from the 1970s with songs from Glen Campbell and Phil Collins. John Dupoint, a member of the Facebook group, says the skating rink was the ‘typical grungy, old joint in a small town’ that he remembered fondly. People could skate around the rink to Cold as Ice by Foreigner. As of 2023, all that remains of the old skating rink location is the Mike’s Club. There is no sign of a tent around the permanent building which is a bar that has also since closed. As people pass by on the highway, they will never see the summer skating rink. Mike’s Club Mike’s Club 2023 more skating coverage