General Principles of Scoring

Text Box: General Principles of Scoring Highest attainable score for Levels 4-8 is 10.0; Level 9’s is 9.7 and they can do bonus skills to get to 10.0 Basic deductions—small errors (toes not pointed, slight arm or leg bend, poor posture, out of balance, etc.) is –0.1 or 0.2 medium errors (extra steps on landing, more out of balance, more arm, or leg bend, etc.) is –0.3 or 0.4 large errors (fall on hands and knees, fall on hips, fall off beam or bars, etc.) is –0.5 These basic deductions can be taken on every single part of a routine! In levels 4-6 there is a deduction of 0.1 to 0.3 for changing or omitting a small part of a routine; major parts are worth 0.4 or 0.6 and if they are omitted there is a deduction of double the value of the part! Not doing a part completely is a deduction of up to the value of that part. In levels 7-9 there is a 0.5 deduction if a Special Requirement is missing and there are 4 Special Requirements on each event In levels 7-9 there are also compositional requirements and if there is a deduction of 0.1 to 0.3 if missing In levels 7-9 there are requirements for the number of A, B, or C values. A’s are worth 0.1; B’s are worth 0.3; and C’s are worth 0.5. If a routine is missing any values there will be a deduction of the worth of the value. Sometimes a gymnast does a value but does not receive credit because it is not executed well enough to get credit. Grace, amplitude, good form, and good flexibility are elements that will make a routine score higher. All levels this year require 180 degree split position on either split, jumps or leaps on beam and floor. Girls who do not have their splits all the way down will receive a deduction. On floor and beam, presentation is important. Between two routines with equal execution and meeting requirements, the one performed with more pizzazz and confidence will score higher. Keeping the head up, shoulders down, and smiling are elements of pizzazz. On bars, every extra swing or extra beat receives a deduction of 0.3. Bar routines should have continuous flow from one skill to another. Dismounts from beam or bars need to be stuck with no extra steps; landings from tumbling skills should be in balance. If a gymnast is spotted (coach touches gymnast to assist in doing a skill) there is a 0.5 deduction. Many skills require legs together; if legs are apart there is up to a 0.3 deduction on each skill Tumbling skills have expectation of height. A gymnast with low tumbling will get a deductioin. Vaulting requires repulsioin (push off/block) from the table. Vaults with better repulsion will score higher than vaults that do not show this block on the table. On vault, the best score of the two vaults is the one that counts. It is a small error and deduction if a gymnast does not salute the judge at the beginning and the end of the routine. In conclusion, ….gymnastics is a very challenging sport. The scoring can be complicated and a lot of it is still the subjection opinion of the judge. If you are not a judge, you will not know all of the deductions that can be taken from a routine. You can watch a routine and it will look very good but it could be missing a skill or special requirement and have a big deduction. So please do not focus on the score. Look for improvement and the positive parts of the performance. Remember there is a reason we have practice—to improve and work towards achieving reasonable goals. How Team Scores Are Tabulated For compulsory levels (4, 5, 6) the top 5 scores on each event (but not all-around) and regardless of age group are added together. So the best 5 scores will count for the team score. In the optional levels (7, 8, 9) the top 3 scores on each event (but not all-around) and regardless of age group are added together for a team score. Then the overall team score is the total of each level’s team score. If a team does not have enough girls for a full team score then they just get a score for the girls they have. If they do not have anyone in a level, they get a zero. So teams that field a full team , obviously, have an advantage but deservedly so. In the Zone Meet, it is an honor to have a full team in each level and teams that do should get the benefit of a full team score. In fact, only the following teams in Ohio have gymnasts in all 5 levels: Lake County West, North Canton, Pickaway, Napoleon, and Greater Toledo. We are proud to be in this group. We hope you also share in our respect for our program.

General Principles of Scoring and Team Score Tabulation

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