With all the extracurricular activities, it is hard to believe this young college student also owns her own business. “Once I found out I could twirl at USD and I found out I got the Presidential Alumni Scholarship it was kind of a set deal”, she said.īesides the USD scholarship, Zalud has also received many other scholarships including the Miss America Top Academic Scholarship, South Dakota Opportunity Scholarship, the Evelyn Maul Jones Scholarship and the Healthcare Education Scholarship - just to name a few.Īt USD she also is a member of Colleges Against Cancer, Dakotathon/Dance Marathon, Kappa Alpha Theta Sorority and is a clarinetist in the Coyote Pep band. Zalud went on to twirling in college at USD where she is majoring in medical biology with an emphasis in interdisciplinary sciences. You get ready the whole summer and then come the end of July you are ready to compete”, Zalud said. “Summers for me growing up revolved around baton because that is when nationals is.
Zalud was so dedicated to the sport that in the summer months she would travel across the country to participate in camps and competitions in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Colorado, Georgia and Texas. “In the summer months I would normally stay with my aunt who lives in Omaha for a few weeks so I could be closer to my coach”, she said. “I started training there when I was 12 and I have been taking private lessons there pretty much through college”, Zalud said.Įvery single weekend Zalud and her family would make the trip to Omaha so she could have her lessons. The company is home to multiple national championship teams. Sues Stepper-ettes was formed in 1973 and is the largest baton twirling and pom pom studio in the Midwest. “But luckily there is a studio in Omaha called Sues Stepper-ettes where I started working with a new coach.” Zalud continued to take lessons from her until she graduated.Īfter she graduated, “I was kind of stuck without a coach”, she said. It just kind of blossomed from there”, she said.
“I won a trophy, and was totally hooked after that. Her teacher told her that she had real potential to be something great, so she entered a twirling contest. Zalud started out taking lessons from her role-model.
“There was a girl who twirled that went to USD”, Zalud said. Zalud said she got hooked on twirling when she was just six-years-old. Her performance always has the crowd in awe. USD Junior, Kristina Zalud has the flexibility of a gymnast, the grace of a dancer and incredible hand-eye coordination. Anyone who goes to a University of South Dakota football game will notice a very talented baton twirler.
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