The art of cheer: SCSU cheerleaders work hard to motivate teams, fans on game day

ORANGEBURG, South Carolina -- "Motivation, dedication and a lot of work" is what it takes to be a college cheerleader, says Oshia Smalls, a member of the South Carolina State cheerleading squad.

Smalls and Keylonda Walker, both SCSU sophomores, are no strangers to hard work and giving their all. Both are Orangeburg natives who began cheering at Orangeburg-Wilkinson High School.

“It’s time consuming. You’ve got to love it because if you don’t, you’ll be doing this for nothing," Walker said. "We put a lot into it."

Smalls, a speech pathology major, says she wanted to be a cheerleader since first grade after she watched the sports comedy movie, "Bring It On."

“I thought to myself, 'That could be me,' " she said.

Walker, a pre-med major, got into gymnastics at the tender age of 3. She said cheerleading was the closest thing to it and told herself, "Hey, might as well try something new," when she got to high school.

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