Coach for Smooth Transitions: The Overlooked Key to Higher Scores

You’re hitting your stunts. Tumbling is clean. Your routine is coming together.
But if your team looks clunky moving from one skill to the next?

Judges will notice.
It will impact your score. 

In cheerleading, smooth transitions are the glue that holds a routine together. They’re what make your performance look polished, professional, and championship-ready. Yet, transitions are often the most under-coached part of the routine.

Let’s fix that. Here’s how to coach smooth, intentional transitions that elevate your entire performance.

1. Design with Purpose, Not Just Placement

When choreographing or reviewing your routine, don’t just think, “Where are we going next?”

Instead ask:
🔹 How are we getting there?
🔹 What does it look like in between skills?
🔹 Does it make sense visually and musically?

A great transition should feel like a natural flow, not a scramble to get in place.

2. Assign a Movement Count

Assign counts to every transition, just like you would a jump or a stunt.

Example:
"From the elite dismount, you have 5 counts to turn and walk to the back left corner."

This keeps your athletes in sync, minimizes dead space, and increases the overall flow of your routine.

3. Coach the Energy Level of the Transition

Transitions are not time to drop energy. They should be part of the performance.

Coach your team to move with energy and purpose. Transitions do not mean it is time to rest. The energy needs to be even more exaggerated at this time. 

5. Film and Watch the “In-Between”

Record the routine and instead of focusing on stunts or tumbling, this time, watch:

• How athletes enter and exit formations
• Where the gaps or lags are
• If the flow feels cohesive

Evaluate with questions like:

• Is there dead time we could fill with motions or visuals?
• Does every transition match the music?
  

6. Drill Transitions on Their Own

You don’t always have to run the full routine to clean transitions. Set aside practice time to just drill transitions.

Break them down:

• Mark-through with counts
• Mark-through with music
• Do one section of the routine with the skills and focus on transitions

Repetition builds confidence and smooth transitions become second nature.

Final Thoughts

Clean stunts and solid tumbling may be worth the most on scoresheet, but transitions can give you that edge on the scoresheet. Coach them with intention, assign counts, and treat them as performance moments not filler.