Gymnastics scoring can seem like an impenetrable mystery. Fans new to the sport, finding college gymnastics after being an elite fan, and longtime college fans can all benefit from a refresher on the basics. We broke down everything from start values to common deductions to make the enigma that is the judges’ table seem more approachable as the season begins.
The Perfect 10 vs. Open-Ended Scoring
Women’s collegiate gymnastics maintains the quintessential image of gymnastics: the perfect 10.0. It remains an iconic symbol of the sport. College fans are likely to chant “10!” for very good routines repeatedly, and some colleges hand out “10” signs for fans to hold when they think a routine is worthy of the score. A panel of judges evaluates each routine based on how well-executed, or close to “perfection,” while meeting set requirements regarding difficulty and the composition of the routine. If a gymnast does not meet the minimum difficulty requirements, her maximum score (or start value) will be lowered.
There are many discussions in the college gymnastics community about score inflation, and almost every time a gymnast scores a 10.0 there are people who point out minor flaws in the routine that could have been deductions. It is an ongoing debate.
The college scoring system is a modified version of the for level 10. Most college gymnasts enter college after competing for one or several years of level 10, so the transition is relatively minimal.
Elite scoring (the scoring you see in the Olympics) is noticeably different, utilizing the open-ended scoring system introduced in 2006 that features both an E (execution) score (out of 10.0) and a D (difficulty) score, composed of the value of the skills and connections the gymnast performs. Men’s collegiate gymnastics also uses an open-ended scoring system, meaning you won’t see perfect 10.0s there either. Both current and former elite gymnasts participate in NCAA gymnastics and often excel.
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All American elite gymnasts have competed and mastered level 10 as youth athletes and are familiar with the requirements but have mastered harder skills and longer routines to be competitive internationally. They also have a wide range of skills they can perform easily and consistently.
Vault Start Values
Vault is unique in college gymnastics. The other three events follow similar frameworks to start from a 10.0 — as discussed below, but since a vault is in essence a single skill, each vault has its start value.
Vaults that are more difficult to execute have a higher start value or maximum score. The most common vaults you’ll see are a Yurchenko one and a half (10.0 start value) and a Yurchenko full (9.95 start value).
Bars, Beam & Floor Start Values
For the other three events, every routine that meets the basic requirements starts from a base value of 9.4. To earn a 10.0 start value, the gymnast must perform difficult skills (rated as a D or E difficulty on an A to E difficulty scale), combinations of skills, or a specific NCAA bonus, such as an additional tenth for a single-bar release skill, a double-flipping salto as a last tumbling pass, or a three-element acrobatic series on the beam. Gymnasts receive +0.1 in bonus for a D skill, and +0.2 in bonus for an E skill. Combination bonuses can range from +0.1 to +0.3, depending on the difficulty of the combination.
Each event has different special requirements and difficulty bonuses. Special requirements are the necessary building blocks of the college routine for that event while bonuses are a menu of places where gymnasts can gain extra tenths. The penalty for not fulfilling a special requirement is a two-tenth (-0.2) deduction from the start value or maximum score. The more routines you watch, the easier it will be to spot these routine cornerstones.
On bars, all gymnasts must transition between the low and high bar twice, perform two release elements (where they release and catch the same or different bar with their hands), a skill that turns (either on the bar or in the air), and a C difficulty dismount.
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Each beam routine must include a leap or jump with a full, 180-degree split in the air, a full turn on one foot, an acrobatic series, a dance or mixed series (one with dance and acrobatic elements), and a C difficulty dismount.
On floor, gymnasts must perform at least two tumbling passes and a dance series that includes a leap or jump with a 180-degree split. Within the tumbling passes, the gymnast must have at least three different saltos (or flips), with at least one tumbling pass containing two flips in the same pass. The last pass has to have a C difficulty salto as the last salto or directly connected to the last salto.
To calculate the start value, the judges make sure that each gymnast has 1) a minimum of eight elements (3A, 3B, and 2C is the minimum difficulty level of the elements), 2) each special requirement, and 3) at least an additional six tenths in bonus from both combinations and D/E difficulty skills. Almost all NCAA routines meet these requirements, but if there is a fall, injury, or a mistake in the composition of the routine, they may not always start from a 10.0.
Different Types of Deductions
There are two major categories of deductions in college gymnastics: composition deductions, and execution deductions. Composition deductions are event-specific, mini-requirements that further dictate what a gymnast should do in her routine. For example, floor gymnasts have to perform both forward and backward elements or they receive a one-tenth deduction. “Up to the [competitive] level” deductions, or UTL, are mini-requirements that penalize gymnasts who are not able to perform at a level of difficulty that is on par with the expectations of an NCAA athlete.
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Execution deductions are errors in form, technique, composition, or performance. Based on the size of the error, judges deduct anywhere from half a tenth (0.05) to half a point (0.5) for errors in execution or composition. Gymnasts can also lose points for technical errors, such as going out of bounds on a floor routine, using an illegal matting configuration, or going overtime on their beam routine. When gymnastics competitions can be won or lost by margins of a quarter-tenth or less, these deductions help separate the good from the great gymnasts.
Common Execution Deductions
| Execution | Deductions |
|---|---|
| Small step or hop on landing | - ≤ 0.10 |
| Large step or hop-on landing | -≤0.20 |
| Flexed feet | - 0.05 |
| Bent knees | - ≤0.30 |
| Deep squat on a landing | - ≤0.30 |
| Low chest on a landing | - ≤ 0.20 |
| Fall | -0.50 |
| Handstands on bars short of vertical | Up to -0.30 depending on angle and skill |
| Split positions on beam or floor | Up to -0.20 depending on the angle or skill may be devalued |
Although there are countless exceptions and nuances regarding scoring above and beyond what is covered in this article that keep the judges and die-hard fans busy, this guide is more than enough to enjoy, appreciate, and understand college gymnastics and how it’s evaluated.
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