CU cheerleader amazes crowd, mentors friends and family

Ozell Williams wows CU fans every weekend with his end-zone antics.

But to those who know him, his performance off the field is even more impressive. “He’s a role model to me,” said Anthony Frydrychowski, Williams’ little brother.

Williams coaches his adopted sister’s cheer team. He mentors his little brother in tumbling, and stands up for him when his classmates tease him about cheer. He supports his teammates when practice gets difficult. “He inspires me to be better and make sure I do almost the same as him,” said Samantha Frydrychowski, his little sister. In short, Ozell is someone his friends and family look up to.

For Williams, cheer was the perfect venue for overcoming a difficult childhood. He grew up surrounded by gang members and got in trouble when he sent a rock flying through a woman’s window. That woman introduced Williams to gymnastics at age seven—and his tumbling career took off from there. “Cheerleading really helped me out a lot in life, because of the discipline, the structure, the time management, all the different personalities you have to deal with,” he said.

Williams hopes to channel his experience as a role model into a career as a mentor for cheerleaders and kids who have had a rough start. “I can relate to the kids and have the kids thinking they can do whatever they want. When I’m coaching the kids, I’m always telling them the sky’s the limit,” Williams said.

For now, Williams will continue helping out his family and friends. “He’s always pushing me to get better in school and in tumbling and helping out other people. I try to help out other people as much as I can,” said Anthony.

Ozell cheers for Team USA and is preparing for the 2012 Olympics in London. Until then, fans can catch him in the CU end-zone at every home game.