Because coaching a majorette line is about so much more than counting to eight.
There’s something special about being a majorette. The Friday night lights, the sound of the band warming up, the sparkle of a uniform, and the feeling of stepping onto the field with a baton in your hand. If you’ve experienced it, you know there’s nothing quite like it.
But stepping off the field as a performer and stepping onto the sidelines as a coach? Those are two very different experiences.
When you become a majorette instructor, you quickly discover that knowing how to twirl a baton is only part of the job. You’re also a teacher, choreographer, motivator, problem-solver, and sometimes the person who must have the conversation nobody wants to have.
I’ve learned a lot from coaching, and some of my biggest lessons have had very little to do with baton technique.
If you’re a new majorette coach, or you’re a veteran coach who needs a reset, here are seven things I believe every instructor should know.
1. Being a Great Twirler Doesn’t Automatically Make You a Great Coach
Just because you can execute a trick doesn’t mean you automatically know how to teach it.
As a former majorette, you may have skills that come naturally to you. But when you’re coaching, you’ll work with girls who learn at different speeds, have different strengths, and need different explanations.
Sometimes you’ll demonstrate a trick ten times, explain it three different ways, and still have a girl looking at you like you’re speaking another language.
That’s part of teaching!
My advice: Break skills into manageable steps. Be willing to demonstrate slowly, explain the mechanics, and find another approach when something isn’t clicking.
And remember that struggling with a skill doesn’t mean a girl isn’t trying. Patience is just as important as technical knowledge.
2. Never Lower Your Standards Just to Avoid a Difficult Conversation
This might be one of the most important lessons I’ve learned.
When I was a majorette, I appreciated having strict coaches. I understood that being part of a line meant being responsible for more than just myself.
I didn’t think it was fair to lower expectations for girls who weren’t putting in the effort when others were practicing, working hard, and doing everything they could to make the line successful.
And now that I’m an instructor, I feel the same way.
There’s a big difference between a girl who is struggling but genuinely trying and one who isn’t taking her responsibilities seriously.
Those two situations require different coaching approaches.
My advice: Establish clear expectations early. Make sure every girl understands the requirements for practices, performances, trick pass-offs, and team responsibilities.
Be consistent in enforcing those expectations, but recognize effort and improvement along the way.
You can be encouraging without lowering your standards. In fact, your hardworking girls are counting on you to maintain them.
3. Sometimes the Kindest Thing You Can Do Is Pull a Girl From a Performance
This is something new coaches may find particularly difficult.
There have been times when I’ve had to tell a girl she wouldn’t be performing because she wasn’t consistently passing off her tricks.
It’s never a conversation I look forward to having.
But rather than making the conversation about failure, I explain that she doesn’t look comfortable performing during practice and that I want her to feel 100% prepared before she steps in front of a live audience.
And something I’ve learned might surprise you: Sometimes the girls are relieved.
They know when they aren’t ready. They know when they’re struggling. And sometimes they’re carrying more anxiety about the upcoming performance than we realize.
In my experience, many girls appreciate that honesty and respect you more for being willing to have a difficult conversation.
My advice: Make performance requirements clear ahead of time, address concerns privately, and give girls specific goals to work toward.
Being pulled from one performance shouldn’t mean a girl has failed as a majorette. It means there’s more work to do before the next opportunity.
Accountability isn’t the opposite of encouragement. When handled with care, it’s part of it.
4. Teach the Basics—and Expect Your Girls to Practice Them
We live in a completely different world from the one many of us grew up twirling in.
Today’s majorettes have access to more instructional resources than ever before. YouTube alone offers countless baton-twirling demonstrations and tutorials.
While online videos can never replace hands-on coaching, they can be helpful for reviewing skills and reinforcing what girls learn at practice.
But having resources available doesn’t mean the work gets done automatically.
A solid foundation still requires repetition, patience, and a willingness to practice even when nobody is watching.
And no matter how impressive a difficult trick might look, it won’t make up for weak fundamentals.
My advice: Don’t rush past the basics because your girls want to learn the flashy tricks.
Build time into practice for technique, body control, timing, and consistency. Recommend trustworthy practice resources when appropriate, and make sure girls understand how to practice safely and correctly.
The fundamentals may not always get the loudest applause, but they’re what make the rest of a routine possible.
5. Coach the Generation in Front of You, Not the One You Grew Up In
One of the biggest adjustments in coaching is recognizing that today’s majorettes may approach the experience differently than we did.
I’ve noticed that some girls expect opportunities without always understanding the work and commitment required to earn them.
But I’ve also learned that every generation has its own strengths, challenges, and ways of communicating.
The solution isn’t to abandon the traditions and standards we value. It’s to learn how to communicate those expectations effectively to the girls we’re coaching today.
Technology has changed that relationship, too.
Thanks to apps like Remind, coaches can communicate practice updates, schedules, and important information almost instantly. That’s a convenience we certainly didn’t always have!
But easy access to information also creates an opportunity to teach responsibility.
My advice: Communicate clearly, explain the why behind your expectations, and encourage girls to take ownership of their schedules, preparation, and progress.
Be willing to adapt your teaching methods without compromising the qualities that make a strong majorette line: discipline, teamwork, respect, and commitment.
6. Choreograph for the Team You Have
When creating routines, don’t be afraid to challenge your girls! If we only choreograph skills they’ve already mastered, we’re missing opportunities to help them grow as performers.
I believe in starting with choreography that pushes girls outside their comfort zones. Give them difficult tricks to work toward, challenging transitions to perfect, and opportunities to surprise themselves with what they can accomplish.
But as a coach, you also have to recognize when something just isn’t working.
If you’ve spent several weeks practicing a section and the majority of the line still can’t execute it consistently, it’s okay to water it down. There’s no sense in sacrificing an entire performance for a few tricks that simply aren’t coming together.
My advice: Start with high expectations, allow plenty of time for practice, and make adjustments when necessary. Don’t confuse simplifying choreography with lowering your standards. You’re still expecting the girls to perform their routine with precision, confidence, and pride.
After all, a clean, synchronized routine will always make a stronger impression than a difficult one filled with mistakes.
7. Remember Why You’re Coaching in the First Place
Of all the things I love about being a majorette instructor, one moment will always be my favorite.
It’s watching the girls come off the football field with huge smiles on their faces, absolutely beaming with pride over the performance they just gave.
Because I know what went into those smiles.
I know about the practices, the corrections, the tricks that didn’t come easily, and the countless times we ran through a routine until it finally came together.
That’s why I believe in holding girls accountable.
Not because I expect perfection, but because I want them to experience the satisfaction of knowing they worked hard, gave their best, and earned that moment.
As coaches, it’s easy to become consumed by the details: choreography, pass-offs, formations, uniforms, schedules, and performances.
But our influence extends far beyond the football field.
We’re helping young women learn discipline, responsibility, perseverance, teamwork, and confidence. Those lessons will stay with them long after they hang up their uniforms.
And as someone who believes God has a purpose for every season of our lives, I don’t take that opportunity lightly.
Colossians 3:23 reminds us:
“And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men,” — Colossians 3:23 (NKJV)
Whether we’re teaching a new trick, having a difficult conversation, or cheering from the sidelines, we have an opportunity to lead with both excellence and grace.
My own journey back to coaching reminded me that God’s timing is always worth trusting. I share more about that experience in Surrendering to God’s Timing.
One Final Piece of Advice
If you’re a new majorette coach, don’t expect to have everything figured out immediately.
You’ll make mistakes. You’ll second-guess decisions. You’ll have practices that go beautifully and others that make you wonder whether anyone remembers how to count to eight.
But keep showing up. Keep teaching. Keep encouraging. And don’t be afraid to hold your girls to a high standard.
Because one day, you’ll watch them come off that field smiling from ear to ear, knowing they gave a performance they can be proud of.
And you’ll remember exactly why you started coaching in the first place.
To my fellow majorette coaches: What’s the biggest lesson coaching has taught you? I’d love to hear your advice for new instructors in the comments.
Celebrating the glory days while giving all the glory to God.
