25 seconds can make or break your routine. The opening of your team’s routine is no different than making a great first impression on a date or a job interview. You’ve got to jam pack the opening with visual excitement, energy, showmanship as well as making sure every second is choreographed in a purposeful manner. With only two and a half minutes it’s important to strategically exhibit the necessary skills to maximize your scoresheet without wasting any eight counts on fluff. The following teams, whether they were Level 1 or Level 5, had attention getting openings that also racked up points. Take notes and make sure your team’s opening is one that will be remembered. Watch the full routines in our video archives.

Level 1 - Cheer Athletics KittyKatz:
Though this is only a Level 1 team their strong, point earning, opening was worthy of including. This young team doesn’t waste any time in their opening. Within 4 seconds of the music starting the entire team performs extremely sharp double back walkovers with the girls in the front doing switch leg walkovers. During the transition they perform front walkovers to gain more points and immediately transfer into 13 stunt groups that hit three quick body positions. To dismount they use a creative back walkover out, body rotation and walkover again for more standing tumbling counts. Barely seven eight counts were used and they managed to check off many areas of the scoresheet with lots of time to spare. 

Level 5 - Twist & Shout Diamonds:
This opening is very visual and quite dance oriented with levels and formation changes. They perform one stunt and one basket as part of the opening presentation which looks very showy but probably isn’t gaining them a ton of points. Regardless, the skills add to the overall performances and create visual pictures for the audience.The highlight of the opening is the standing tumbling, performed by the majority of the team, including standing two handsprings to fulls, double fulls and whip thru to double fulls. 

Level 5 - Cheer Athletics Cheetahs:
There’s a reason this team won every award possible, as well as a Full paid World’s Bid, at Spirit Celebration’s Christmas Classic. This opening is nearly enough to secure the win! Starting in a unique formation to open the routine peaks the interest of the judge and the audience. We are accustomed to a team starting center and balanced so when we see something like this it makes us watch out of curiosity. They manage to squeeze in three stunt sequences, with nine groups, in the short period of time along with the very memorable roll back entry and straddle drop cartwheel exit during the first opening stunt. In addition there’s elite standing tumbling happening in front of, between and around all the stunt sequences. This opening assures the audience there’s more excitement to come!

Level 5 - Texas Lonestar Cheer Co RED:
Texas Lonestar is known for their, in your face, showy style and this routine’s opening is no different. Their music is sure to appeal to both the judges and the audience as it’s timeless and everyone is familiar with the songs. Texas uses their 25 seconds to maximize their standing tumbling section of the routine. They manage to include standing fulls, standing handspring to fulls, standing handsprings to doubles as well cartwheel fulls and one well executed basket. There is so much going on that it’s easy to disguise certain team members, who may not have the skill, because the judge’s eye has to move so quickly to catch all that’s going on. This is the artistry of a seasoned choreographer. 

Level 5 - Cheer Athletics Panthers:
The interesting aspect of this opening is that it leads directly into their running tumbling section, which you don’t see too often early in a routine. This team managed to check off some standing tumbling points with their jump thru to fulls, performed in the unique diagonal formation. They defy normal choreography with groups performing things not necessary symmetrically, but nevertheless in a highly appealing manner. Using their first 25 seconds to perform their running tumbling section is not only spectacular for the audience but it’s also conducive to less tumbling mistakes because the team is fresh earlier in the routine.