After attending a CU football game, it is obvious who grabs the crowd’s attention when he walks out onto the field. He might not play for the football team, but all eyes follow Ozell Williams as he flips across the end zone and the crowd erupts in applause.
Ozell Williams Jr. is 23 years old and is majoring in Communications with a minor in Business Entrepreneurship. Born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, Ozell first began his tumbling career off a living room couch. He continued tumbling in Chicago until his family moved to Louisiana when he was 14. Disheartened at the fact that he could find no tumbling or boy’s gymnastics teams, Ozell almost gave up on his passion. With a little encouragement from his mom, Ozell finally found a gym and started his own cheer team in 2004.
Once he started traveling with his team, Ozell began getting offers from colleges in Louisiana. However, he wanted more and kept working harder in hopes to receive an offer for a full ride. During his last two years of high school, he began traveling with the World Wide Spirit Association. After one of their shows in Denver, CO, Ozell met the Frydrychowski family and the rest is history.
The Frydrychowski’s helped Ozell get into the University of Louisville and completed one of his biggest dreams. Ozell has since transferred to the University of Colorado at Boulder and loves his cheer team, “We are one Big HAPPY FAMILY!!” he said. Not much has changed from when Ozell first started tumbling, as he still tumbles anywhere and everywhere and loves nothing more than to put a smile on everyone’s face.
Ozell keeps moving on and up with this career and has no intention on slowing down. He is currently cheering for the Broncos and is a College National Champion, a National Champion, a Worlds Champion, and a member of the USA Olympic Cheer Team for 2012 in London. Not to mention that with his help, Team USA won their first gold medal this year at the International Worlds Competition. It is no surprise Ozell is so successful considering how passionate he is about his sport, “I feel free when I tumble, like I can fly. Tumbling is one sport I love that I can be different and unique in, something that puts a smile on a little kid’s face I get enjoyment out of that!!”
Ozell’s true passion lies in giving back to the community through his tumbling. He plans to continue his career in cheerleading and tumbling, hoping to one day own his gym where he can coach kids and keep them in the gym and out of trouble. “I feel it is a great opportunity to give back to others, especially kids and teenagers to help them stay out of trouble and succeed in life” said Ozell.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at CU Boulder chapter.