A Closer Look - Season 1 (Kayla Victor)
Leader. Motivated. Driven. Mature. Kind. Compassionate. Adventurous. Independent. These are all words that could easily describe sophomore cheerleader Kayla Victor.
Victor, a native of Manalapan, N.J., has had a plan since she was young. Although she is a northern lady, Victor always wanted to go to college in South Carolina. Originally, she wanted to attend the University of South Carolina, but her plans changed. After a brochure was sent to her from USC Aiken, Victor visited and decided it would be a perfect fit for her.
“I came down on a Freshman Friday,” Victor said. “I met the cheer team and felt like this was a university that was big enough where I didn’t know everyone, but I still felt like you knew a lot of the campus.”
The 730-mile journey to USC Aiken is beneficial for her, but it can be tough at times.
“Being away from home is good and bad,” Victor stated. “I’m independent and I had always planned on going away to school, but I still talk to my family every day. For me, I needed to find myself and USC Aiken was the place to do that. It is a difficult transition for my parents because they still want to help when there is a problem or if I’m sick, but I’m able to manage on my own.”
Underclassmen may not see themselves or put themselves into a leadership role, but Victor has done so on multiple levels. In addition to being a captain on the cheer team, she is also an RA on campus.
“I interviewed to be an RA last year because I thought it would be a really good experience,” Victor mentioned. “I never thought I would be one when I first arrived at USC Aiken. However, I have been a lifeguard, so I understand some of the skill sets that an RA needs.”
Being an RA, Victor looks out for the well-being of students. The marketing major’s mature nature, compassion and her kind sides can easily be seen.
“I like to see how my students are growing up and maturing,” Victor stated. “For those that have come from far away or even those who are close to home, but are away for the first time, I am able to offer insight and advice based on my experience from my freshman year.”
As a cheerleader, Victor commands attention as she has earned it after an outstanding rookie season. Although young, Victor is one of the captains on the team.
“Last year, there were candidates to be a captain,” Victor said. “We each created a portfolio and discussed what we would change and keep the season. The candidates had to create several time-out cheers for this season. I also discussed how I thought the team could grow collectively.”
Although she would only be a sophomore, Victor was selected as one of the two captains on the squad. She has a businesslike approach to cheering, but part of that could be due to her past. Growing up, she was part of a competitive cheer team. She pushes the team when learning something new, but that is due to her motivation and driven nature.
This season, Victor has big things in store for the cheer team. Her goals for the team and individually are high, but attainable.
“I want to have a really high GPA,” Victor said. “I want to continue to strive and have a great relationship with my residents and I want the cheerleaders to have a great season. To do that, we need to get the chance to compete at the Peach Belt Conference tournament. I want the seniors to have the opportunity to exhibition at the tournament.”
Graduation for her is over two years away, but she already has a process in place in order to accomplish the goals she has in mind.
“I’m starting an internship with the wellness center and I plan on getting my certification to teach fitness classes,” Victor stated. “It is a really big part of who I am and I want to excel, get into internships and learn more with marketing. I really enjoy the advertising part of it and would like to be a part of marketing campaigns for Cross Fit games or with brand marketing.”
Though she is only 19 years old, Victor has had a plan from early on. In all situations, Victor has thrived and has accomplished many goals ahead of schedule. There is no doubt Victor will not only guide the cheer team to new heights, but will also reach her goals in just a matter of time.
